Optical properties of electron beam evaporated Zn1−XTiXO thin films.

The present study deals with synthesis and characterizations of titanium (Ti) doped zinc oxide (Zn_1−xTi_xO) thin films using an electron beam evaporation technique. The Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films were prepared at different titanium concentrations (x = 0. 00, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.07) and studied the role of Ti concentration on structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence, magnetic and electrical properties. The Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films were subjected to XRD, SEM, AFM, UV–Vis–NIR, PL, VSM and I–V characterization techniques. From these characterizations it was found that the Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films were in wurtzite hexagonal structure with smooth surface. An increase in optical band gap (3.01 eV – 3.13 eV) and a decrease in crystallite size (25–19 nm) were observed with increase of Ti concentration (x = 0.00 to x = 0.07). The films exhibit luminescence property and clear emission peaks were observed in PL spectra in visible region. From I-V studies, ohmic behavior was observed for the Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films. Magnetic studies were carried out at room temperature and confirmed the paramagnetic nature of the Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films. From the optical transmittance, absorbance spectra of the Zn_1−xTi_xO thin films, the optical parameters such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, energy band gap, Urbach energy, optical conductivity, dispersion parameter, static refractive index, linear and non-linear susceptibility were calculated and explained in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]