Dependence of precursor composition on patterning and morphology of sol-gel soft lithography based zinc zirconium oxide thin films

► Film surface pattern formation depends on precursor solution composition. ► Films are crystalline, enriched with hexagonal ZnO below 55 mol% ZOO in precursors. ► ZnO crystal shape changes from spherical to rod to sunflower-like particles. ► Water and chloride contents from ZOO are found to control the film characteristics.