ZnO/SiO₂ nanocomposite thin films by sol–gel method

Abstract

Abstract In recent years ZnO/SiO 2 nanocomposite thin films have attracted much attention for a wide range of device applications based on their specific optical and electrical properties. Mesoporous silica nanocomposite with controllable variation of size and shape of pores is the most challenging system for the generation of stable oxide semiconductive nanoparticles with controlled size and shape and subsequently with controlled optical and electrical properties. This paper presents the results on mesoprous ZnO/SiO 2 nanocomposite thin films obtained by sol–gel method using three different ways of the sol preparation. The effect of the sol preparation on the zinc‐doping states of the thin films is discussed based on X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The crystalline structure, morphology, optical transmittance, optical band gap, electrical properties and room temperature photoreduction‐ozone reoxidation properties of these films are presented. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)