Multifunctional ZnO:V thin films deposited by rf-magnetron sputtering from aerogel nanopowder target material

ZnO:V thin films have been grown onto suprasil substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering at room temperature using nanocrystalline powder synthesized by modified sol–gel method. In our approach the water for hydrolysis used in the synthesis of nanopowder was slowly released by esterification reaction followed by a thermal drying in ethyl alcohol at 250 °C. The effects of V concentration on structural, electrical, morphological and optical properties were studied. The as-deposited films with a thickness of about 0.4 μm were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and preferentially oriented in the (002) crystallographic direction. The films present high optical transmittance in the visible range of approximately 90%, carrier concentration of about 1020 cm− 3 and electrical resistivity of 10− 3 Ω cm at room temperature. In the as-prepared state the films also present ferromagnetic properties attributed to the presence of vanadium based secondary phases.