Investigation of third order nonlinear optical properties of undoped and indium doped zinc oxide (InZnO) thin films by nanosecond Z-scan technique

We report the investigation of third order nonlinear optical properties of undoped zinc oxide and indium doped zinc oxide thin films using nanosecond (6 ns, 18 mu j at 532 nm) Z-scan technique. Undoped (ZnO) and indium doped zinc oxide (InZnO) thin films were synthesized on quart silica substrate by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. The structural and characterization of deposited thin films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). In XRD results show different behaviors as amorphous oxide semiconductor and polycrystalline oxide semiconductor for ZnO and InZnO thin films respectively. Elemental compositions of thin films were analyzed by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). Surface morphology of ZnO and InZnO films were measured by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which show uniform and regular surface with small grain size distribution. Linear optical transmission and reflection thin films were analyzed by UV-VIS spectrometer. The UV-VIS results reveal that the optical transmittances of deposited thin films were increased after doping indium. The third order nonlinear optical properties of ZnO and InZnO thin films were carried out using nanosecond (6 ns) laser Z-scan technique at 532 nm wavelength. In open aperture case, both ZnO and InZnO thin films are show reverse saturable absorption (RSA) behaviors. For close-aperture Z-scan, the transmittance curve of ZnO thin film occurs as valley-peak (positive nonlinear refraction) characteristic, which indicates self-focusing behavior. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.