Synthesis and characterization of ZnO based semiconductors with doped rare-earth metals

This thesis consist of synthesis and characterization of Erbium (Er) and Praseodymium (Pr) from rare-earth metals doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film and bulk materials. RF sputter and hydrothermal method were used for synthesizing the targeted materials. First chapter of this thesis, PET and glass substrates were coated with ZnO target before the synthesis. Then ZnO based semiconducting thin film materials were produced while doping of different Er concentrations (Zn1-xErxO )(x=0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.09) on PET and glass substrates by hydrothermal method. All that the obtained substances were determined as hexagonal wurtzite structure. In the second chapter, bottom of ZnO thin film semiconducting materials were produced of doping Pr on glass substrates (Zn1-xPrxO) (x=0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05). That obtained semiconductor materials were determined as hexagonal crystal structure and calculated the cell parameters by investigation of X-ray powder diffraction which the cell parameters a=3.214 c=5.156 Zn0.99Pr0.01O, a=3.220 c=5.164 Zn0.98Pr0.02O, a=3.218 c=5.162 Zn0.97Pr0.03O, a=3.219 c=5.162 Zn0.96Pr0.04O, a=3.212 c=5.152 Zn0.95Pr0.05O. Finally, in the last section, Zn1-xLnxO type (x=0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05) semiconductor bulk materials were synthesized using Ln: Er and Pr from rare-earth metals by hydrothermal method. Those semiconductor bulk materials that obtained were determined as hexagonal wurtzite structure. Structure, morphology, and optical properties of obtained materials were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)- energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-DRS).