Effect of Al-doping on the structure and optical properties of electrospun zinc oxide nanofiber films

► AZO nanofibers with various average diameters were fabricated by a simple electrospinning. ► AZO nanofiber films were characterized by the XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, XPS and PL. ► Al doping causes a decrease trend in the crystallite/grain size and lattice parameter for AZO. ► A blue shift of UV peak is attributed to the size effect and Al-doping or the impurity incorporation. ► Optical properties of AZO nanofiber films can be greatly improved by an appropriate Al doping level.