Effect of Oxygen Sputter Pressure on the Structural, Morphological and Optical Properties of ZnO Thin Films for Gas Sensing Application

ZnO thin films were prepared on glass substrates at low (5 × 10-4 mbar) and high (3 × 10-3 mbar) sputter pressure using dc reactive magnetron sputtering. The structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of the thin films were investigated. XRD patterns of both films confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the films with hexagonal Wurtzite structure. SEM study indicates that the surface of the film formed at high sputter pressure was more uniform, compact and porous in nature. From the EDAX analysis, no other characteristic peaks of other impurities were observed and the formation of single phase of ZnO was confirmed. From the study of photoluminescence, three peaks were observed, one strong near band-edge emission at 390 nm followed by weak and broad visible emissions around 420-480 nm. Room temperature ammonia sensing characteristics of ZnO nanothin films formed at higher sputter pressure were studied for different ammonia vapour concentration levels. The response of the Ammonia sensor at room temperature (30 °C) operation was observed to be of high sensitivity with quick response and recovery times.