Optical, physical, and surface characteristics of ZnO nanostructures by increasing gold (Au) contents

Gold (Au) doped ZnO thin film was synthesized on a glass slide through sol gel- dip coating method. Thin film was annealed at optimized temperature. The optical properties of gold-ZnO film were characterized by UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometery. The band gap energy value was found to be 3.71e V, carried out in 300-1000nm range. The optical studies of Au-ZnO thin film demonstrated its potential for optoelectronic applications. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) structural studies confirm the wurtzite hexagonal structure of Au doped ZnO thin film. Preferential growth occurs along the (101) plane. The size of the crystallite was measured to be 25.01nm. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the film has a granular structure. The doping of Au influenced surface morphology and roughness of the film. Vibrating Sample Manometer (VSM) measurements revealed that the deposited film is ferromagnetic at room temperature.