Microstructure and optical properties of nitrogen-doped ZnO film

The nitrogen doping of ZnO film deposited by the magnetron sputtering method is subsequently realized by the hydrothermal synthesis method. The nitrogen-doped ZnO film is preferably (002) oriented. With the increase of hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) solution concentration, the average grain size of the film along the < 002 > direction almost immediately decreases and then monotonously increases, conversely, the lattice strain first increases and then decreases. The structural evolution of the film surface from compact and even to sparse and rough is attributed to the enhanced nitrogen doping content in the hydrothermal process. The transmission and photoluminescence properties of the film are closely related to grain size, lattice strain, and nitrogen-related defect arising from the enhanced nitrogen doping content with HMT concentration increasing.