Antireflection and band gap extension effects of ZnO nanocrystalline films grown on ITO-coated glasses by low temperature process

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystalline films coated on indium tin oxides (ITO, 90:10 wt%) glasses were prepared by low temperature process. The thin films were composed of uniform nanoparticles with average diameter around 8.4 nm. All samples exhibited excellent optical antireflective phenomena, and the maximum transmission reached 92.8% for the sample spin coated at 1500 rpm at 453 nm, improved by 21.5%. The antireflective results were explained by the coherence theory. And the antireflective effects were induced by the ITO and ZnO films. The calculated thicknesses of the ZnO films agreed well with the experimental results. The theoretical calculated band gap from the average diameter of ZnO nanoparticles was also well consistent with the experimental ones obtained from the optical transmission spectra. This result was promising for applications in organic solar cells.

► ZnO nanocrystalline films on ITO showed excellent antireflective effects.
► The maximum transmission improvement was near 21.5%.
► The antireflective phenomenon was in agreement with the theoretical calculation.
► The films had band gap extension effect for quantum confinement effects.