Oxide and sulfide semiconductor thin films for solar cells and spintronic devices

This dissertation will present the synthesis and characterization of the doped-zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films deposited by various techniques for their potential applications in spintronics devices and solar cells. The research work shows room temperature ferromagnetism in transition metal doped zinc oxide dilute magnetic semiconductors in highly crystalline nanostructured and polycrystalline forms. A spin field effect transistor working as a resistive switch was simulated based on the conductance modulation of the electron channel formed by magnetic impurity doped ZnO. Light scattering properties of nanostructured doped ZnO films has been simulated using Mie scattering theory in view of possible application in light harvesting in solar cells. Band gap bowing effect was achieved in sulfur-alloyed ZnO (zinc oxysulfide) films and a new bowing parameter and stress effect gave a better understanding of the sulfur alloyed effect in these polycrystalline thin films synthesized by chemical spray pyrolysis technique. A novel nanostructure was developed with sulfur-doping of ZnO in the ZnO core and zinc oxysulfide (ZnO1-xSx) shell form. For the first time the ZnO-ZnO1-xSx core-shell nanorods were applied to develop 3-dimenstional organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells. The performance of organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells based on ZnO-ZnO 1-xSx core-shell nanorods thin films was evaluated using the current-voltage characteristics. Further, the role of flux induced crystallization of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films by chemical spray pyrolysis technique is explored. This dissertation also investigates the interface effects and heterojunction properties of cadmium sulfide/CZTS heterojunction solar cells.