Effect of Ag doping on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO films

ZnO:Ag films were grown on Si (1 0 0) substrates by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at various substrate temperatures. The effect of deposition temperature on the structural and the room temperature photoluminescence (RT–PL) properties of ZnO:Ag films was studied. With the deposition temperature rising to 550 °C, the intensity of the near-band edge (NBE) emission at 378 nm decreased and a new emission peak at 399 nm was observed. On the basis of the X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), the X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectra of ZnO:Ag films, and the effects of annealing on the PL, we suggest that the 399 nm emission should be attributed to the electron transition from the conduction band to AgZn-related complexes defects radiative centers above the valence band.