Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Thin Films for Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract

Owing to its potential to significantly improve photovoltaic performances of solar cells, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) thin films have attracted significant interest from researchers working towards enhancing the performance of organic solar cells. In the present study, ZnO NPs thin films were synthesized by spin coating. The structural and morphological properties of the ZnO NPs thin films were characterized using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed the crystalline structure of the ZnO NPs thin films, while SEM images showed a surface morphology with a particle size distribution of approximately 36 nm. Analyses showed that the ZnO NPs thin films exhibited excellent crystallinity, uniform surface morphology, and a direct bandgap energy of approximately 3.30 eV. The photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells with a thin ZnO NPs film was tested, and the results showed a significant improvement in short-circuit current density (Jsc) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to chemically prepared ZnO NPs. Investigations are underway on ZnO thin films with meticulously controlled micro-scale morphology, which are considered promising alternatives to indium tin oxide (ITO) films for various photovoltaic applications.