Spray Pyrolysis Deposition of Al‐Doped ZnO Thin Films for Potential Picosecond Extreme Ultraviolet Scintillator Applications

For potential extreme ultraviolet (EUV) scintillator applications, aluminum (Al)‐doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are successfully fabricated on glass and silicon substrates using spray pyrolysis technique. The Al‐doped thin films consist of 160‐nm‐sized flake‐like particles and have 0.30 μm thicknesses and up to 75% visible transmittances. Although Al doping affects the film morphology and optical properties in the visible region, both undoped and Al‐doped thin films exhibit hexagonal wurtzite crystal structures and intense 381 nm emissions with 20–30 ps lifetimes. With submicrometer thicknesses and intense picosecond UV emissions, the spray‐pyrolysis‐deposited Al‐doped ZnO thin films have promising potential as ultrafast scintillator materials which may lead to improved imaging and timing of EUV light sources. Spray‐pyrolysis‐deposited Al‐doped ZnO thin films exhibit faster UV emission lifetimes while having thinner layers compared with undoped and intentionally doped thin films prepared using other deposition methods. With submicrometer thicknesses and intense picosecond emissions, the Al‐doped thin films are suggested to be used as scintillator materials for high‐resolution imaging and fast timing of extreme UV light sources.