Effects of RF Power on the Optical Properties of ZnO/TiO₂ Nanocomposites Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering and Solution-Immersion Method

Abstract:

Nanocomposites of ZnO/TiO₂ were fabricated by two methods. Firstly, deposition of TiO₂ nanoparticles by Radio Frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Secondly, growths of ZnO nanostructures on the TiO₂ nanoparticles by solution-immersion method with aqueous solution of Zinc nitrate hexahydrate as precursor solution and stabilizer hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in water as solvent. The optical properties of ZnO/TiO₂ nanocomposites were examined by Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. UV-vis spectra of ZnO/TiO₂ nanocomposites display high absorption in the UV region and high transparency in the visible region. There is improvement in UV absorption for ZnO/TiO₂ nanocomposites compared to pure TiO₂ due to imperfect alignment of ZnO nanostructures. Raman analysis shows the presence of wurtzite hexagonal ZnO in all the films and presence of anatase structure of TiO₂ in the film deposited at 200 W. PL spectra of the films show the emissions in the UV and visible regions. Intensity of PL emission in UV region (λ< 400 nm) is maximum for film deposited at 200 W and minimum for film deposited at 300 W resulting from the change in the surface state density. A broad peak from ~ 600-700 nm also was found for all the films.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 832)
• Pages: 607-611
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.832.607
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: N.A.M. Asib, Nurul Afaah Abdullah, Aadila Aziz, Mohamad Rusop, Zuraida Khusaimi
• Keywords: Optical Property, RF Magnetron Sputtering, RF Power, Solution-Immersion Method, ZnO/TiO₂ Nanocomposites

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