ZnO Films Incorporation Study on Macroporous Silicon Structure

In the present work, we developed hybrid nanostructures based on ZnO films deposited on macroporous silicon substrates using the sol–gel spin coating and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) techniques. The changes in the growth of ZnO films on macroporous silicon were studied using a UV-visible spectrometer, an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). XRD analysis revealed the beneficial influence of macroporous silicon on the structural properties of ZnO films. SEM micrographs showed the growth and coverage of ZnO granular and flake-like crystals inside the pores of the substrate. The root mean square roughness (RMS) measured by AFM in the ZnO grown on the macroporous silicon substrate was up to one order of magnitude higher than reference samples. These results prove that the methods used in this work are effective to cover porous and obtain nano-morphologies of ZnO. These morphologies could be useful for making highly sensitive gas sensors.