Oxygen plasma power dependence on ZnO grown on porous silicon substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

ZnO thin films were deposited on porous silicon by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy using different radio frequency power settings. Optical emission spectrometry was applied to study the characteristics of the oxygen plasma, and the effects of the radio frequency power on the properties of the ZnO thin films were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence. The grain sizes for radio frequency powers of 100, 200, and 300 W were 46, 48, and 62 nm, respectively. In addition, the photoluminescence intensities of the ultraviolet and the visible range increased at 300 W, because the density of the atomic oxygen transitions increased. The quality of the ZnO thin films was enhanced, but the deep-level emission peaks increased with increasing radio frequency power. The structural and optical properties of the ZnO thin films were improved at the radio frequency power of 300 W. Moreover, the optical properties of the ZnO thin films were improved with porous silicon, instead of Si.