Structural, optical, electrical and thermal properties of zinc oxide thin films by chemical spray pyrolysis

Thin films of highly textured ZnO are synthesized by simple chemical spray pyrolysis onto corning glass substrates in aqueous medium. The influence of solution concentration onto photoelectrochemical, structural, morphological, compositional, optical, electrical and thermal properties have been investigated. Structural analysis shows the hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure. Electron–phonon-coupling in ZnO films has analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. The chemical composition and valence states of constituent elements in ZnO are analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The SEM and AFM micrographs depict the films are compact and homogeneous (hexagonal platelets nanostructures) with varying grain sizes (average grain size ∼50–150 nm). The specific heat and thermal conductivity study shows the phonon conduction behavior is dominant in these polycrystalline films.