Influence of high-pressure hydrogen treatment on structural and electrical properties of ZnO thin films

ZnO thin films were treated by high-pressure hydrogen (H 2). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the surface morphology of ZnO films has been changed significantly by H 2 treatment. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the Zn(OH) 2 phases formed after H 2 treatment. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that H atoms were doped into the surface of ZnO by forming H–O–Zn bond. The phenomenon shows that it is easy to form O–H bond in ZnO rather than H interstitial atom under high-pressure hydrogen circumstance.