Utilization of urea in the synthesization ZnO-based thin film

The photoluminescence, morphology and structural properties of nanostructured ZnO synthesized from different molar ratio of precursor and stabilizer by a solution-immersion method were investigated. ZnO was successfully grown on gold-seeded Si substrate using a mixture of an aqueous solution of zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO₃)₂.6H₂O) with a non-toxic, odourless urea (CH₄N₂O) as a stabilizer. Solution-immersed method was adopted with the intention to develop a large area deposition at low-temperature benign method of preparation. A unique development of size and growth orientation is seemingly affected by the change in molarities of urea. Photoluminescence, structural properties and surface morphology are found to be significantly affected by varying the Zn²⁺:urea ratio. The chemical equations governed by urea are suggested.