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<p>Despite extensive studies on rare-earth-doped ZnO, significant gaps remain in understanding how Er<sup>3</sup>⁺ incorporation influences both the microstructure and charge transport dynamics. Herein, we address this issue by y investigating Er‑doped ZnO thin films sputtered onto ITO‑coated glass with various&#xa0;Er concentrations achieved via DC sputtering power. Advanced characterizations (XRD, AFM, EDX, contact angle, UV‑Vis&#xa0;Spectroscopy, four-probe resistivity, PL Spectroscopy,&#xa0;and J–V measurements) revealed that Er substitution not only preserves the ZnO wurtzite phase but also induces a controlled increase in grain size (58 → 74&#xa0;nm) and&#xa0;decreament in surface energy, factors that have been poorly correlated with carrier mobility in prior reports. We demonstrate that Er doping narrows the optical bandgap from 3.55 to 3.43&#xa0;eV while simultaneously lowering resistivity from 8.86 × 10⁻<sup>3</sup> to 2.7 × 10⁻<sup>3</sup> Ω·cm and optimizing the diode ideality factor—benchmarks that translate directly into improved current extraction and reduced recombination losses in optoelectronic devices&#xa0;specifically thir-generation solar cells. Thus, this study fills a critical knowledge gap by linking doping‑driven microstructural evolution to tangible enhancements in optical absorption, charge transport, and device‑level metrics, paving the way for Er‑doped ZnO/ITO as a multifunctional electron-transport layer in next-generation photovoltaics, LEDs, and photodetectors.</p>

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Exploring the influence of erbium doping on the optoelectronic properties of ZnO thin films

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月13日

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  • Ghazi Aman Nowsherwan,
  • Muhammad Azhar,
  • Aurang Zaib,
  • Mohsin Khan,
  • Umar Farooq Ali,
  • Saira Riaz,
  • Shahzad Naseem

摘要

Despite extensive studies on rare-earth-doped ZnO, significant gaps remain in understanding how Er3⁺ incorporation influences both the microstructure and charge transport dynamics. Herein, we address this issue by y investigating Er‑doped ZnO thin films sputtered onto ITO‑coated glass with various Er concentrations achieved via DC sputtering power. Advanced characterizations (XRD, AFM, EDX, contact angle, UV‑Vis Spectroscopy, four-probe resistivity, PL Spectroscopy, and J–V measurements) revealed that Er substitution not only preserves the ZnO wurtzite phase but also induces a controlled increase in grain size (58 → 74 nm) and decreament in surface energy, factors that have been poorly correlated with carrier mobility in prior reports. We demonstrate that Er doping narrows the optical bandgap from 3.55 to 3.43 eV while simultaneously lowering resistivity from 8.86 × 10⁻3 to 2.7 × 10⁻3 Ω·cm and optimizing the diode ideality factor—benchmarks that translate directly into improved current extraction and reduced recombination losses in optoelectronic devices specifically thir-generation solar cells. Thus, this study fills a critical knowledge gap by linking doping‑driven microstructural evolution to tangible enhancements in optical absorption, charge transport, and device‑level metrics, paving the way for Er‑doped ZnO/ITO as a multifunctional electron-transport layer in next-generation photovoltaics, LEDs, and photodetectors.