The Preparation, Modification And Photocatalysis Of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Thin Films By Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Since the environment in the whole world deteriorates, using nanometer semiconducotor photocatalysts to purify environment is emphasized. Current applications are focused on the purification and the treatment of water and air. However, there exist many disadvantages in the use of conventional poweder photocatalysts, such as stirring during the process, segregating after the reaction and so on. Nanometer thin film semiconducotor photocatalysts can be used to overcome these disadvantages and extend their industrial application.ZnO is an excellent new type broad band gap II-IV compound semiconductor material.Some works show that the photocatalytic ability of ZnO is higher than that of TiO2, but limited by its photo-induced degradation of itself,ZnO + 2h~+ → Zn2+ +1 / 2O2 , few works have dwelled on the research ofphotocataiysis of ZnO thoroughly. However some researches have found that its photocatalytic ability could have been improved greatly by the surface modifications, implanting with metal ions, modifying with noble metal and coupling with other semiconductors oxides.R.F. Magnetron Sputtering is mostly present method used to prepare ZnO films. In this paper ZnO thin films ZnO-TiO2 thin films and ZnO-SnO2 thin films were successfully fabricated by R.F. Magnetron Sputtering. The preparing details were thoroughly introduced in this paper. With the help of X-ray Diffractometer(XRD), Atomic Force Microscope(AFM), Raman Scattering Spectroscope(RAMAN), UV-Vis Absorption(UV-Vis), we carried out specific studies of the characteristics about ZnO thin films. And , metal ions, V and Ti ions, have been implanted into ZnO thin films prepared by R.F. Magnetron Sputtering. Noble metal, Ag and Au, have been deposited onto ZnO thin films prepared by R.F. Magnetron Sputtering through the PVD method. These seven species thin films have different photocataiysis qualities to degrading phenol solutions, ZnO-Ag thin films, through PVD method deposited Ag onto the ZnO thin films prepared by R.F. Magnetron Sputtering, possess the first rankphotocatalysis quality.