Effect of Aluminum Doping Ratios on the Properties of Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide Films Deposited by Mist Chemical Vapor Deposition Method Applying for Photocatalysis

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide film was deposited on a glass substrate by mist chemical vapor deposition method. The influence of different aluminum doping ratios on the structural and optical properties of zinc oxide film was investigated. The XRD results revealed that the diffraction peak of (101) crystal plane was the dominant peak for the deposited AZO films with the Al doping ratios increasing from 1 wt % to 3 wt %. It was found that the variation of AZO film structures was strongly dependent on the Al/Zn ratios. The intertwined nanosheet structures were obtained when Zn/O ratios were greater than Al/O ratios with the deposition temperature of 400 degrees C. The optical transmittance of all AZO films was greater than 80% in the visible region. The AZO film deposited with Al doping ratio of 2 wt % showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency between the wavelength of 475 nm and 700 nm, with the high first-order reaction rate of 0.004 min(-1) under ultraviolet radiation. The mechanism of the AZO film influenced by aluminum doping ratio during mist chemical vapor deposition process was revealed.

Automated summary

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide films were deposited on glass substrates using mist chemical vapor deposition, and the influence of different aluminum doping ratios on the structural and optical properties was investigated. The results showed that the doping ratios significantly influenced the film structures and photocatalytic efficiency, with the film deposited with 2 wt % aluminum showing the highest performance between 475 nm and 700 nm wavelengths.