Investigation of the transformation of the surface architecture of zinc oxide powders synthesized by grinding during etching with argon ions

Igor A. Pronin; Aleksey S. Komolov; Alexander S. Lenshin; Nadezhda D. Yakushova; Andrey A. Karmanov

doi:10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/12804

Igor A. Pronin Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3037-3601
Aleksey S. Komolov Saint Petersburg State University, 7-9 Universitetskaya Embankment, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2942-9823
Alexander S. Lenshin Voronezh State University, 1 Universitetskaya pl., Voronezh 394018, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1939-253X
Nadezhda D. Yakushova Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0358-7818
Andrey A. Karmanov Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8318-8149

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/12804

Keywords: Zinc oxide, Etching, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Surface

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the work is to study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy the transformation of the surface architecture of zinc oxide powders, previously obtained by mechanical milling, during their etching with argon ions.

Experimental: The etching was carried out in two steps of 30 s duration each at a current of 1 μA. It was found that on the surface of initial powders 45 % of zinc is a part of the crystal lattice of ZnO, and the remaining 55 % exist in the form of hydroxide.

Conclusions: The first etching step reduced the fraction of hydroxyl groups on the surface to 1 per 5 zinc cations in the ZnO lattice, and further etching showed the impossibility of deeper purification of the sample from OH-groups. In contrast, the carbon atoms almost completely left the powder surface after the end of the second etching step

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Igor A. Pronin, Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Tech.), Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Nano- and Microelectronics, Penza
State University (Penza, Russian Federation)

Aleksey S. Komolov, Saint Petersburg State University, 7-9 Universitetskaya Embankment, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Phys.–Math.), Professor, Department of Solid State Electronics, Saint Petersburg State
University (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation)

Alexander S. Lenshin, Voronezh State University, 1 Universitetskaya pl., Voronezh 394018, Russian Federation

Dr. Sci. (Phys.–Math.), Senior Researcher, Department of Solid State Physics and
Nanostructures, Voronezh State University (Voronezh, Russian Federation)

Nadezhda D. Yakushova, Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Tech.), Associate Professor, Department of Nano- and Microelectronics, Penza
State University (Penza, Russian Federation)

Andrey A. Karmanov, Penza State University, 40 Krasnaya st., Penza 440026, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Phys.–Math.), Associate Professor, Department of Nano- and Microelectronics, Penza
State University (Penza, Russian Federation)

References

Dutta T., Noushin T., Tabassum S., Mishra S. K. Road map of semiconductor metal-oxide-based sensors: a review. Sensors. 2023;23(15): 6849. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23156849

Zaki R. S. R. M., Jusoh R., Chanakaewsomboon I., Setiabudi H. D. Recent advances in metal oxide photocatalysts for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants: a review on photocatalysts modification strategies. Materials Today: Proceedings. 2023;107: 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2023.07.102

Lu B., Zhuge F., Zhao Y., … Lu J. Amorphous oxide semiconductors: from fundamental properties to practical applications. Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science. 2023;27(4): 101092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cossms.2023.101092

Averin I. A., Pronin I. A., Moshnikov V. A., … Kuznecova M. V. Analysis catalytic and adsorption properties of d-modifier metal tin dioxide. Nano- and Mikrosystems Technology. 2014; 168(7): 47–51. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.). Available at: https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?edn=sighhn

Pronin I. A., Yakushova N. D., Karmanov A. A., … Moshnikov V. A. Evolution of acid–base properties of the surface of zinc oxide powders obtained by the method of grinding in an attritor. Glass Physics and Chemistry. 2018; 5(44): 464–473. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1087659618050140

Van Heerden J. L., Swanepoel R. XRD analysis of ZnO thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis. Thin Solid Films. 1997;1-2(299): 72–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(96)09281-4

Holzwarth U., Gibson N. The Scherrer equation versus the’Debye-Scherrer equation’. Nature Nanotechnology. 2011;9(6): 534–534. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2011.145

Marrani A. G., Caprioli F., Boccia A., Zanoni R., Decker F. Electrochemically deposited ZnO films: an XPS study on the evolution of their surface hydroxide and defect composition upon thermal annealing. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry. 2014;18: 505–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2281-2

Das J., Pradhan S. K., Sahu D. R., … Roul B. K. Micro-Raman and XPS studies of pure ZnO ceramics. Physica B: Condensed Matter. 2010;10(405): 2492–2497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2010.03.020

Au C. T., Hirsch W., Hirschwald W. Adsorption and interaction of carbon dioxide, formic acid and hydrogen/carbon dioxide mixtures on (1010) zinc oxide surfaces studied by photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS). Surface Science. 1988;3(199): 507–517. https://doi.org/10.1016/0039-6028(88)90918-1

Pronin I. A., Averin I. A., Karmanov A. A., … Korotcenkov G. Control over the surface properties of zinc oxide powders via combining mechanical, electron beam, and thermal processing. Nanomaterials. 2022;11(12): 1924. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111924