Multifunctional ZnO:V thin films deposited by rf-magnetron sputtering from aerogel nanopowder target material

ZnO:V thin films have been grown onto suprasil substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering at room temperature using nanocrystalline powder synthesized by modified sol-gel method. In our approach the water for hydrolysis used in the synthesis of nanopowder was slowly released by esterification reaction followed by a thermal drying in ethyl alcohol at 250 degrees C. The effects of V concentration on structural, electrical, morphological and optical properties were studied. The as-deposited films with a thickness of about 0.4 mu m were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and preferentially oriented in the (002) crystallographic direction. The films present high optical transmittance in the visible range of approximately 90%, carrier concentration of about 10(20) cm(-3) and electrical resistivity of 10(-3) Omega cm at room temperature. In the as-prepared state the films also present ferromagnetic properties attributed to the presence of vanadium based secondary phases. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.