A comparative study of micro‐ and nano‐ZnO films fabricated by sol‐gel syringe spray method

Synthesis of ZnO‐based material is becoming more importance as eco‐friendly alternative to traditional production process because of its excellent industrial application. Here, in this paper, we report comparative study of ZnO micro‐ and ZnO nano‐films prepared by low‐cost sol‐gel syringe spray method and then followed by sintering in the muffle furnace at 450°C. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern confirms hexagonal structure with maximum diffraction intensity from (101) plane. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images confirm appreciable variation of grain size of micro‐ and nano‐coated films. EDAX spectrum confirms presence of Zn and O elements. An increase in optical band gaps from 3.21 eV for ZnO thick film to 3.40 eV for ZnO nano‐film was observed by UV‐Vis spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra show a wide absorption band at 1400 cm−1 corresponding to the stretching vibration of zinc and oxygen ZnO bond. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra exhibit strong ultraviolet emission at room temperature, indicating useful material for short‐wave light‐emitting photonic devices. The DC conductivity measurement from two probe method shows semiconductor characteristics.