Properties of ZnO:Bi thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

Undoped and Bi doped zinc oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrate at 450 °C using spray pyrolysis technique. The X-ray diffraction studies shows that Bi doped ZnO films are polycrystalline hexagonal structure with a preferred orientation along (1 0 1) direction. Crystallites size of the films decreases with increasing doping concentration. Scanning electron microscope image shows change in the surface morphology. The composition of Zn, O and Bi elements in the undoped and Bi doped ZnO films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Bi doped ZnO thin films show a transparency nearly 75% in the visible region. The optical band gap of ZnO thin films reduces from 3.25 eV to 3.12 eV with an increase in Bi concentration from 0 to 5 at.% respectively. Electrical conductivity of ZnO thin films increased from 0.156 to 6.02 S/cm with increasing Bi dopant concentration from 0% to 5% respectively. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.