Ion-beam-induced Modifications of Nanocrystalline ZnO Thin Films Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition

Irradiation with distinct ions turns out to be an efficacious way to alter the optical, structural, electrical and morphological properties of different materials by instigating the strains, defects and structural transitions in it. Ion beam irradiation with Swift Heavy Ion (SHI) can originate defects in the materials by conveying the adequate energy to the lattice results into materials modifications. We will extensively study how the SHI irradiation influences the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Grown Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin films’ distinct characteristics, which may be applicable for evolving the distinct sensors, capacitors and optical devices based on it. In the present work, the influence of high electronic energy deposition on the physico-chemical and morphological properties of ZnO thin films synthesized by ALD technique have been investigated at different fluences. The thin films of ZnO irradiated by 120 MeV Ti⁹⁺with a fluence of 5E11 to 1E13 ions/cm² Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis reveals notable grain boundaries and proposed that the roughness of irradiated thin films alters as compared to pristine thin films. The thickness of ZnO thin films were estimated by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Photoluminescence (PL) intensity enhancement has been remarked in the Ti ion beam treated ZnO thin films samples as compared to pristine specimen. The alterations of the of Zn 2p and O 1sbinding energy of pristine and ion irradiated thin films were examined by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).