Doping Mechanism and Photocatalytic Application of F and Ga Co‐Doped ZnO Transparent Conducting Films

Doping with F and Ga elements individually or in combination has become a common strategy for preparing high‐performance ZnO transparent conductive (ZnO‐TCO) films. This study employs ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and rapid thermal annealing to investigate the doping mechanism of F and Ga in ZnO‐TCO films. The results show that in ZnO films, F not only has a higher doping efficiency than Ga but also has the function of optimizing the film interface. The introduction of these two elements can adjust the preferential orientation of the film, thereby changing the growth structure of the film and affecting the photoelectric properties. The photoelectric performance of the codoped films is significantly better than that of the ZnO films doped with F or Ga alone. When the F:Ga doping ratio is 1:2 and 1.5:1.5, the films exhibit the best electrical performance. However, in terms of comprehensive photoelectric performance, the latter is superior when compared laterally. Additionally, the ZnO‐TCO films prepared by F, Ga codoping show excellent photocatalytic ability compared to intrinsic ZnO as photoanode materials.