Silver nanoparticles on Zinc Oxide thin film: An insight in fabrication and characterization

In this work, a simple two-steps process has been explained to fabricate silver (Ag) nanoparticles on Zinc Oxide (ZnO) thin film followed by their characterizations. The underneath layer ZnO thin film, as an example, was also investigated how the properties change during the course of nanoparticles fabrication. ZnO thin film was sputtered on standard glass substrate followed by further sputtering of an ultrathin Ag layer. Subsequently the specimen was treated at high temperature in inert environment. A periodic observation at specific temperature intervals confirmed the formation of Ag nanoparticles on ZnO thin film. Field-emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) observations revealed the size distribution of as-fabricated Ag nanoparticles in the range of 50-250 nm. Elemental analysis was also confirmed by SEM-aided energy dispersion spectroscopy. The underneath layer ZnO thin film was found to go through recrystallization, stress relaxation, and grain growth during the annealing process. Further treatment to ZnO only film showed a variation in surface topology with reference to those with Ag nanoparticles on ZnO. Such a system was also analysed with finite different time domain (FDTD) analysis. A typical model was considered and FDTD simulation was carried out to understand the trend of absorption depth profile within the absorbing layer involved in plasmonics solar cell.