Influence of mixed aqueous-alcoholic solvents on the physical properties of zinc oxide thin films deposited by a simple spray technique

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Abstract The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of aqua-alcoholic solvents on the physical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films prepared using a simple and cost-effective atomization technique. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that, regardless of the solvent type, the thin films are polycrystalline and crystallize in the hexagonal wurtzite structure. Fourier transform infrared analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the film morphology is strongly influenced by the nature and proportion of the solvents, with the distilled water/ethanol (25/75) mixture promoting Volmer–Weber growth, characterized by fine, compact, and uniformly distributed grains. UV–visible measurements indicated that the variation of the distilled water/alcohol ratio significantly affects the optical properties: the maximum transmittance reaches 82% for distilled water/ethanol (25/75) and 80% for distilled water/methanol (25/75) in the visible range. The optical bandgap shows only slight variation (3.27–3.30 eV), indicating that the solvent mainly affects microstructure and defect distribution rather than the intrinsic electronic structure of ZnO. Based on the structural, morphological, and optical analyses, the distilled water/ethanol (25/75) composition provides the optimal balance between crystallinity and optical transparency in ZnO thin films, suggesting its potential suitability for optoelectronic applications.

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