Synthesis and Characterization of Ternary BexZn1-xO Nano Thin Films prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition Technique
Main Article Content
Abstract
Beryllium Zinc Oxide (BexZn1-xO) ternary nano thin films were deposited using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique under a vacuum condition of 10-3 torr at room temperature on glass substrates with different films thicknesses, (300, 600 and 900 nm). UV-Vis spectra study found the optical band gap for Be0.2Zn0.8O to be (3.42, 3.51 and 3.65 eV) for the (300, 600 and 900nm) film thicknesses, respectively which is larger than the value of zinc oxide ZnO (3.36eV) and smaller than that of beryllium oxide BeO (10.6eV). While the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis of ZnO, BeO and Be 0.2 Zn 0.8 O powder and nano-thin films indicated a hexagonal polycrystalline wurtzite structure. The crystal structure showed a preferential orientation line at (101). Besides the nano thin film Be0.5Zn0.5O has all orientations of ZnO and BeO. Moreover, the calculated average crystallite size for nano thin film was 16.48 nm. The surface morphology of the nano thin films investigated by atomic force microscope (AFM) showed a decrease in the average grain sizes (94.8, 79.2 and 59.4 nm) with the increase of films thickness due to quantum confinement effect.
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
References
Jalil Z. Structural and optical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) based thin films deposited by sol-gel spin coating method. in Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2018. IOP Publishing.
Qin L.-X., Liang H.-P., and Jiang R.-L., Structural Transition from Ordered to Disordered of BeZnO2 Alloy. Chinese Physics Letters, 2020. 37(5): pp. 1-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0256-307X/37/5/057101
Xiong D., He M., Wang Q., and Feng Z. A DFT+ U Study On The Structural And Electronic Properties Of BeZnO alloys. in 2nd International Forum on Management, Education and Information Technology Application (IFMEITA 2017). 2018. Atlantis Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/ifmeita-17.2018.102
Su L., Zhu Y., An Y., Xie J., and Tang Z., Alloying induced disorder and localized excitonic states in ternary BexZn1− xO thin films. Journal of Alloys Compounds, 2021. 874: pp. 1-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.159867
Toporkov M., Ullah M., Demchenko D., Avrutin V., Morkoç H., and Özgür Ü., Effect of oxygen-to-metal flux ratio on incorporation of metal species into quaternary BeMgZnO grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Journal of Crystal Growth, 2017. 467: pp. 145-149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2017.03.028
Bouziani I., Kibbou M., Haman Z., Benhouria Y., Essaoudi I., Ainane A., and Ahuja R., Electronic and optical properties of ZnO nanosheet doped and codoped with Be and/or Mg for ultraviolet optoelectronic technologies: density functional calculations. Physica Scripta, 2019. 95(1): pp. 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/ab461a
Wentao E., Li M., Meng D., Cheng Y., Fu W., Ye P., and He Y., High-performance amorphous BeZnO-alloy-based solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors on rigid and flexible substrates. Journal of Alloys Compounds, 2020. 831: pp. 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.154819
Su L., Chen H., Xu X., and Fang X., Novel bezno based self‐powered dual‐color uv photodetector realized via a one‐step fabrication method. Laser Photonics Reviews, 2017. 11(6): pp. 1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.201700222
Yıldırım H., Dispersion relations of interface and quasi-confined phonon modes in ZnO/BeZnO quantum wells. Physics Letters A, 2021. 385: pp. 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physleta.2020.126977
Yu J., Kim J., Park D., Kim T., Jeong T., Youn C., and Hong K., A study on structural formation and optical property of wide band-gap Be0. 2Zn0. 8O layers grown by RF magnetron co-sputtering system. Journal of crystal growth, 2010. 312(10): pp. 1683-1686. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2010.02.014
Chung J.-K., Kim W.-J., Kim S.S., Song T.K., and Kim C.J., Structural and optical properties of Be-doped ZnO nanocrystalline films by pulsed laser deposition. Thin Solid Films, 2008. 516(12): pp. 4190-4193. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2007.11.004
Kim J., Park D., Yu J., Kim T., Jeong T., and Youn C., Emission mechanism of localized deep levels in BeZnO layers grown by hybrid beam method. Journal of materials science, 2008. 43(9): pp. 3144-3148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-008-2501-9
Mustafa S.K., Jamal R.K., and Aadim K.A., Studying the effect of annealing on optical and structure properties of ZnO nanostructure prepared by laser induced plasma. Iraqi Journal of Science, 2019: pp. 2168-2176. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24996/ijs.2019.60.10.10
Wang Y.-C., Su L.-X., Zhao Y., Liu J.-F., Shen Z.-C., Feng Y.-H., Wu T.-Z., and Tang Z.-K., Resonant Raman scattering study of Be x Zn 1− x O thin films grown on sapphire by molecular beam epitaxy. International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2017. 31(16-19): pp. 1-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/S0217979217440672
Sun X. and Kwok H.S., Optical properties of epitaxially grown zinc oxide films on sapphire by pulsed laser deposition. Journal of applied physics, 1999. 86(1): pp. 408-411. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.370744
Nithya N. and Radhakrishnan S.R., Effect of thickness on the properties ZnO thin films. Advances in Applied Science Research, 2012. 3(6): pp. 4041-4047.
Kumar K.B. and Raji P., Synthesis and characterization of nano zinc oxide by sol gel spin coating. Recent research in science technology, 2011. 3(3): pp. 48-52.
Su L., Zhu Y., Zhang Q., Chen M., Wu T., Gui X., Pan B., Xiang R., and Tang Z.J.A.s.s., Structure and optical properties of ternary alloy BeZnO and quaternary alloy BeMgZnO films growth by molecular beam epitaxy. Applied surface science, 2013. 274: pp. 341-344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.03.058
Salim M.A., Effect of thickness on the optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD). Iraqi Journal of Physics, 2017. 15(32): pp. 114-121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30723/ijp.v15i32.161
Han M., Kim J., Jeong T., Park J., Youn C., Leem J., and Ryu Y., Growth and optical properties of epitaxial BexZn1− xO alloy films. Journal of crystal growth, 2007. 303(2): pp. 506-509. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2006.11.348
Ryu Y., Lee T., Lubguban J., Corman A., White H., Leem J., Han M., Park Y., Youn C., and Kim W., Wide-band gap oxide alloy: BeZnO. Applied physics letters, 2006. 88(5): pp. 1-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2168040
Zhang Y., Hao X., Huang Y., Tian F., Li D., Wang Y., Song H., and Duan D., Structural and Electrical Properties of Be x Zn1–x O Alloys under High Pressure. Chinese Physics Letters, 2021. 38(2): pp. 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0256-307X/38/2/026101
Ye D., Mei Z., Liang H., Liu Y., Azarov A., Kuznetsov A., and Du X., Beryllium sites in MBE-grown BeZnO alloy films. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2014. 47(17): pp. 1-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/47/17/175102
Khoshman J., Jakkala P., Ingram D., and Kordesch M., Optical conductivity tuning and electrical properties of a-BexZnyO thin films. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2016. 440: pp. 31-37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2016.03.005
Lin Y.-C., Wang B., Yen W., Ha C., and Peng C., Effect of process conditions on the optoelectronic characteristics of ZnO: Mo thin films prepared by pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering. Thin Solid Films, 2010. 518(17): pp. 4928-4934. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2010.03.007
Christoulakis S., Suchea M., Koudoumas E., Katharakis M., Katsarakis N., and Kiriakidis G., Thickness influence on surface morphology and ozone sensing properties of nanostructured ZnO transparent thin films grown by PLD. Applied surface science, 2006. 252(15): pp. 5351-5354. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2005.12.071