ZnO thin films prepared at low annealing temperatures, from a novel, simple sol-gel precursor solution

ZnO thin films show a wide gamut of potential applications, mainly due to their optical and semiconducting properties. ZnO films have been prepared by the sol-gel technique; however, their preparation is rather laborious and the composition of the precursor solutions is relatively complex. In this work, we present the preparation of ZnO thin films by a novel sol-gel method, from a very simple precursor solution, based on zinc acetate and methyl alcohol. Transparent, well-adhered films were obtained on glass slide substrates, in the 100-500 A degrees C annealing temperature range. A very noteworthy feature of the method is that polycrystalline ZnO thin films could be obtained at annealing temperatures as low as 100 A degrees C. The films are transparent (80-90 %) in the visible and near-IR spectral ranges. They were characterized also by micro-Raman spectroscopy and SEM and their thickness was evaluated by profilometer measurements.