Comparative Study of Sm and La Doped ZnO Properties

Samarium and Lanthanum doped nanostructured ZnO thin films were grown onto glass substrates by spray deposition method. Influences of different concentrations (0% to 1%) of Sm and La on the ZnO structural and optical properties were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy and by UV-VIS spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the ZnO films have zincite crystalline structure and show a preferential growth orientation along (101) crystallographic orientation. Doping with Sm and La leads to changes of thin films crystallinity as well as their transparency in VIS region of electromagnetic spectrum. Increasing dopant concentration leads to slightly increased transparency.