Chapter 191 modulating structural, optical and electrical properties of zinc oxide by aluminium doping

Abstract

Nano powders of un-doped and Aluminium doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) has been synthesized using a simple, cost-effective and scalable co-precipitation route. The effect of aluminium (Al) doping has been studied. The developed materials have been characterized using various analytical techniques such as X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Photoluminescence (PL) and electrical characterization. XRD and TEM analysis confirms the synthesis of the good crystalline hexagonal structure of ZnO material. PL spectra at room temperature of undoped ZnO confirms UV emission peak at 385.4 nm accompanied by a shift towards lower wavelengths with aluminium doping. I-V measurements with temperature have been done on un-doped and Al doped ZnO. A significant increase in room temperature dc conductivity observed for 1 mol% Al doped ZnO. Activation energy found to be a function of temperature as well as of doping.