Enhancement of structural, optical, electrical, optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties of ZnO thin film via Ni doping and Ni-B co-doping

In this study, the effects of nickel (Ni) and boron (B) elements on the structural, optical, electrical, optoelectronic, and thermoelectric properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) material were investigated. Therefore, undoped ZnO, 3% Ni-doped ZnO (ZnNiO), and 3% Ni-1% B co-doped ZnO (ZnNiBO) solutions were prepared by the sol gel method. The produced solutions were coated on glass and p-type Si substrates via dip coating and spraying methods in the form of thin films. We produce pure and n-type semiconductors in the form of nanodots which have wurtzite ZnO polycrystalline structure for all samples. Ni and B co-doped sample is morphologically, electrically and optically enhanced the ZnO material with 3.08 eV band gap, homogenous surface and the highest electrical conductivity. In addition, the best material among the three samples that can be used as a visible light-sensitive sensor is ZnNiBO under feedback voltage. Technologically, this material can be turned into a photodiode device in the form of Au/ZnNiBO/p-Si. While the obtained ideality factor of ZnO from the forward bias region decreases from 5.7 to 3.4, its barrier height increases from 0.636 eV to 0.667 eV and serial resistance of contact decreases from 121.6 × 10 Ω to 5.6 × 10 Ω with Ni and B co-doping. Ni doping thin film improves the photovoltaic, and thermoelectric properties of ZnO. Ni-doped ZnO sample can be studied in form of the thin films as a thermoelectric material due to its ZT value is nearly 1.73 × 10 at 650 K. Its thermoelectric performance is 13 times better than the that of pure ZnO for the same temperature values. The efficiency of Ni-doped ZnO sample as solar cell increases 10 times compared to pure ZnO. In addition to the production of materials with improved energy efficiency, economical products suitable for use in large areas have been obtained in this study.