Dip coated nickel zinc oxide thin films: Structural, optical and magnetic investigations

• Dip-coating technique was used to deposit NiZnO thin films.
• XRD results showed that the deposited NiZnO thin films have a pure wurtzite structure.
• VSM results indicated that NiZnO thin films exhibit ferromagnetic properties.
• Optical band gap of the films varies from 3.18 eV to 2.50 eV.

Dip-coating technique was used to deposit NiZnO thin films on glass substrates at varying withdrawal speed in the range of 150–350 mm/s and annealed at 500 °C for 4 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the deposited NiZnO thin films have a pure wurtzite structure without any significant change in the structure caused by substituting Zn ion with Ni ion. Crystallite size increased from 248 to 497 nm with increase in withdrawal speed. Vibrating Sample magnetometer (VSM) results indicated that NiZnO thin films exhibit ferromagnetic properties. Increase in saturation magnetization with increase in withdrawal speed is observed. Evaluated optical band gap of the films reduced from 3.18 eV to 2.50 eV with the increase in withdrawal speed of the substrate.