Zn2GeO4 micro- and nanoestructuresSynthesis, characterization and study of the optical properties

Abstract

In this PhD thesis work, the results obtained from the research on micro- and nanostructuresof zinc germanate (Zn2GeO4) are shown and discussed. This material is a wide bandgapsemiconductor, member of the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) family, which presentsseveral physical properties that make it a potential candidate for its integration in differentoptoelectronic or energy storage devices.The scope of applications of Zn2GeO4 can be extended or improved by controllingthe dimensions and morphology, as well as intrinsic defects and doping with impurities.Therefore, in this work, different synthesis or growth methods were employed in orderto achieve Zn2GeO4 structures with the desired dimensions, morphologies and physicalproperties. Thus, by means of the physical growth method of thermal evaporation, usingthe vapor-solid (VS) mechanism, both elongated Zn2GeO4 micro- and nanostructures wereobtained. This method was also used to dope the Zn2GeO4 structures by diffusion, includingthe dopant impurities during the growth stage. On the other hand, Zn2GeO4 nanocrystalswere synthesized via the chemical precipitation method...