Conducting ZnO thin films with an unusual morphology: Large flat microcrystals with (0 0 0 1) facets perpendicular to the plane by chemical bath deposition

Gelatine has been employed to modify the growth of ZnO in a chemical bath deposition (CBD). The polymer profoundly affects crystal growth and leads to films of high-density which are composed of vertically aligned hexagonal ZnO microplatelets. This morphology is in stark contrast to the [0 0 0 1] orientated rods most often seen in CBD. These crysatllites are well defined, relatively uniform in diameter, thickness and shape. The height of the ZnO platelet in the film is ∼2.0 μm (as is the measured film thickness). The films present near perfect linear current–voltage (I–V) curves and have a very characteristic Raman resonance. Near band-edge emssion is observed in the low temperature photoluminescence (PL).