EFFECT OF LOW-ENERGY OXYGEN ION BEAM TREATMENT ON THE STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ZnO THIN FILMS

In this paper, we report the influence of low-energy oxygen ion irradiation with fluence ranging from 0.5 x 10(17) ions.cm(-2) to 1.5 x 10(17) ions.cm(-2) on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of fresh and annealed (400 degrees C, 3h) zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films. These films were grown on soda-lime glass (SLG) substrates using the spin-coating method as a low-cost depositing technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study showed the formation of the hexagonal phase of ZnO thin films with preferred orientation along the (002) plane. The crystallite size for fresh and annealed ZnO thin films was in nanoscale and it increased with the annealing temperature. Also, the crystallite size increased with the ion beam irradiation fluence in the case of annealed ZnO films, while it slightly decreased for the fresh ZnO films. The transmittance and absorbance spectra for the ZnO films were investigated in a wide wavelength range. The optical bandgap was specified by using Tauc's relation. The electrical properties of the ZnO films (fresh and annealed at 400 degrees C for 3h) were studied before and after the oxygen ion beam irradiation. Also, the dielectric properties were investigated with respect to frequency at different ion beam irradiation fluences. The comprehensive results showed the dielectric and optical properties are improved due to the induced conductive networks by oxygen ion irradiation.