Spray pyrolytic deposition of ZnO thin layers composed of low dimensional nanostructures

ZnO nanolayers composed of fine nanostructures have been successively grown by spray pyrolytic deposition at 300 ∘C over amorphous glass substrates. As deposited samples were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing a granular morphology with grain size in the limit of the microscope resolution. CL measurement shows a broad near band edge (3.4 eV) emission of ZnO in the UV region and the defect level emissions in the green region of the spectrum. The use of intermittent spray pyrolytic deposition is shown as an alternative to increase the homogeneity of the samples when temperatures near to the precursor pyrolytic decomposition is selected, long depositions times are involved, and low thermal conductive substrates are used. We have focused on one of these low thermal conductive substrates, glass, on which spheroid shaped microstructures and inhomogeneities appear.