Nanostructured ZnO thin film with improved optical and electrochemical properties prepared by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown on fluorine‐doped tin oxide coated glass substrate by the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition (HTED) route using slightly acidic aqueous zinc acetate solution at 80°C and were characterised by various techniques. The deposited films showed n‐type behaviour with improved carrier concentration. The steady state photocurrent densities were found to be 0.4 mA/cm 2 (under UV irradiation) and 8 µA/cm 2 (under visible light illumination) at zero bias potential. Significant improvement of optical, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of deposited films could be achieved using HTED technique.