Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is a long-studied material that possesses properties well-regarded for their applications in photonics, optoelectronics, and nanoscience. While much research exists detailing conventional deposition (i.e. vapor phase, sol gel) and post processing (thermal) techniques, the effects of photonic annealing techniques such as intense pulsed light annealing (IPLA) on thin film of ZnO remain less explored. This research effort examines the outcomes of applying IPLA to ZnO in various scenarios, including inkjet printed and spin coated films, and with inks prepared from nanoparticle suspensions and metal-organic salt solutions. The findings indicate that IPLA can create film morphologies distinct from those achievable with conventional thermal annealing methods. The study employs a range of material assessment techniques including the electronic characterization of films, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and analysis using FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, to elucidate the impact of IPLA on ZnO films under diverse conditions.
|