https://doi.org/10.51514/JSTR.8.2.2026.22-25
Ashok Kumar Pathak and Kumar Navin
Cobalt-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were synthesized on glass substrates using the sol–gel spin-coating technique. The influence of Co doping on the structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the ZnO thin films was systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, and temperature-dependent resistivity measurements. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline ZnO with a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure. The crystallite size exhibited an initial increase with increasing Co concentration, followed by a decrease at higher doping levels, indicating a significant influence of Co incorporation on the crystallization process and lattice structure of ZnO. Optical analysis revealed a systematic variation in the optical band gap with Co doping, suggesting modification of the electronic structure of the ZnO host matrix. AFM characterization provided information on the surface morphology and roughness of the deposited films, which were found to be influenced by the Co concentration. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements demonstrated the semiconducting nature of the films, with electrical transport properties strongly dependent on the Co doping concentration.
Keywords: Thin film, doping, structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties etc.