Preparation of crystalline zinc oxide films by one-step electrodeposition in Reline

One-step electrodeposition of crystalline zinc oxide thin films on Molybdenum/glass substrates in a low-cost ionic liquid, Reline composed of urea and choline chloride, is presented. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy shows the thin films have wurtzite structure. Raman microspectroscopy indicates a slight oxygen deficit in the film. Both X-ray energy dispersion and X-ray photonelectron spectroscopy reveal a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of zinc to oxygen. UV–visible absorption spectra illustrate film transparency in the wavelength range of 190–900 nm. The optimized film fabrication is attractive for applications in solar cells.

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► We report ZnO preparation and characterization with electrodeposition method in an ionic liquid.
► XRD, XPS, SEM, Raman, UV–vis, and DPV were applied to characterize the films.
► ZnO films are expected to have applications in completely thin film solar cells.