Optical, structural and electrical properties of nanosized zinc oxide sintered films for photovoltaic applications

Zinc oxide films have been deposited on ultra-clean glass substrates by screenprinting method followed by sintering process. Optimum conditions for preparing good quality screen-printed films have been found. The optical band gap of the films has been studied using reflection spectra in wavelength range 325-600 nm by using double beam spectrophotometer. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the films are polycrystalline in nature, single phase exhibiting wurtzite (hexagonal) structure with strong preferential orientation of grains along the (101) direction. Surface morphology of films has been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The electrical resistivity of the films was measured in vacuum by two probe technique. PACS: 78.20.Ci; 78.50.Ge; 78.66.-w; 78.66.Hf.