Effect of Ga, N, and Ga + N co-doping on structural and electrical properties of sol–gel-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles
摘要
In this work, we investigate how Ga, N, and Ga + N co-doping modifies the structural and electrical behaviour of sol–gel-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. XRD analysis confirmed the wurtzite phase in all samples, with nitrogen-containing compositions showing a slight lattice contraction and Ga-containing samples exhibiting a modest expansion, consistent with crystallite sizes ranging from 31.03 nm (N-doped) to 23.16 nm (Ga + N). These structural variations were accompanied by distinct changes in electrical transport. I-V measurements showed higher current levels in Ga- and Ga + N-modified ZnO, whereas samples prepared with the nitrogen precursor exhibited reduced conduction relative to pure ZnO. Impedance spectroscopy further supported these trends, with effective resistance decreasing from 1.27 × 106 Ω (pure) to 2.97 × 104 Ω (Ga-doped). Overall, the results demonstrate that dopant chemistry has a pronounced influence on grain-boundary-associated electrical behaviour, offering a pathway to tailor ZnO for higher conductivity or more resistive, defect-sensitive applications depending on the dopant choice.