A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications
This study details the manufacture of vanadium-doped ZnS thin films via a cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique at varying concentrations of vanadium (4, 8, and 12 wt.%). The XRD data demonstrate the hexagonal structure of the vanadium-doped ZnS layers. The analysis of their structural properties...
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2025-03-01
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| author | H. Y. S. Al-Zahrani I. M. El Radaf A. Lahmar |
| author_facet | H. Y. S. Al-Zahrani I. M. El Radaf A. Lahmar |
| author_sort | H. Y. S. Al-Zahrani |
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| description | This study details the manufacture of vanadium-doped ZnS thin films via a cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique at varying concentrations of vanadium (4, 8, and 12 wt.%). The XRD data demonstrate the hexagonal structure of the vanadium-doped ZnS layers. The analysis of their structural properties indicates that the crystallite size (D) of the vanadium-doped ZnS films decreased as the vanadium concentration rose. The strain and dislocation density of the analyzed films were enhanced by increasing the vanadium content from 4 to 12 wt.%. The linear optical results of the vanadium-doped ZnS films revealed that the refractive index values were improved from 2.31 to 3.49 by increasing the vanadium concentration in the analyzed samples. Further, the rise in vanadium content enhanced the absorption coefficient. The energy gap (Eg) study indicates that the vanadium-doped ZnS films exhibited direct optical transitions, with the Eg values diminishing from 3.74 to 3.15 eV as the vanadium concentration increased. The optoelectrical analysis shows that the rise in vanadium concentration increases the dispersion energy from 9.48 to 12.76 eV and reduces the oscillator energy from 3.69 to 2.17 eV. The optical carrier concentration of these layers was improved from 1.49 × 1053 to 2.15 × 1053, while the plasma frequency was decreased from 4.34 × 1013 to 3.67 × 1013 by boosting the vanadium concentration from 4 to 12 wt.%. Simultaneously, the increase in vanadium content improves the nonlinear optical parameters of the vanadium-doped ZnS films. The hot probe method identifies these samples as n-type semiconductors. The findings suggest that these samples serve as an innovative window layer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0728a87100fd4162ae91b8489680c2be |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj-art-0728a87100fd4162ae91b8489680c2be2025-08-20T01:48:48ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2025-03-0116333710.3390/mi16030337A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic ApplicationsH. Y. S. Al-Zahrani0I. M. El Radaf1A. Lahmar2Physics Department, College of Science& Arts, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi ArabiaLaboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée (LPMC), Université de Picardie, Jules Verne, Pôle Scientifique, CEDEX 1, 80039 Amiens, FranceThis study details the manufacture of vanadium-doped ZnS thin films via a cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique at varying concentrations of vanadium (4, 8, and 12 wt.%). The XRD data demonstrate the hexagonal structure of the vanadium-doped ZnS layers. The analysis of their structural properties indicates that the crystallite size (D) of the vanadium-doped ZnS films decreased as the vanadium concentration rose. The strain and dislocation density of the analyzed films were enhanced by increasing the vanadium content from 4 to 12 wt.%. The linear optical results of the vanadium-doped ZnS films revealed that the refractive index values were improved from 2.31 to 3.49 by increasing the vanadium concentration in the analyzed samples. Further, the rise in vanadium content enhanced the absorption coefficient. The energy gap (Eg) study indicates that the vanadium-doped ZnS films exhibited direct optical transitions, with the Eg values diminishing from 3.74 to 3.15 eV as the vanadium concentration increased. The optoelectrical analysis shows that the rise in vanadium concentration increases the dispersion energy from 9.48 to 12.76 eV and reduces the oscillator energy from 3.69 to 2.17 eV. The optical carrier concentration of these layers was improved from 1.49 × 1053 to 2.15 × 1053, while the plasma frequency was decreased from 4.34 × 1013 to 3.67 × 1013 by boosting the vanadium concentration from 4 to 12 wt.%. Simultaneously, the increase in vanadium content improves the nonlinear optical parameters of the vanadium-doped ZnS films. The hot probe method identifies these samples as n-type semiconductors. The findings suggest that these samples serve as an innovative window layer.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/3/337V-doped ZnS filmsnebulizer spray pyrolysisX-ray diffractionenergy gapdispersion parameterselectrical conductivity |
| spellingShingle | H. Y. S. Al-Zahrani I. M. El Radaf A. Lahmar A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications Micromachines V-doped ZnS films nebulizer spray pyrolysis X-ray diffraction energy gap dispersion parameters electrical conductivity |
| title | A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications |
| title_full | A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications |
| title_fullStr | A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications |
| title_short | A Study on the Impact of Vanadium Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Optoelectrical Properties of ZnS Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications |
| title_sort | study on the impact of vanadium doping on the structural optical and optoelectrical properties of zns thin films for optoelectronic applications |
| topic | V-doped ZnS films nebulizer spray pyrolysis X-ray diffraction energy gap dispersion parameters electrical conductivity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/3/337 |
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