Effect of Ga Concentration on the Output Performance of ZnO Piezoelectric Nanorods Nanogenerator

In this study, a self-assembled monolayer of octyltriethoxysilane was grown on ITO glass. Subsequently, a hydrothermal method was employed to grow low-density gallium (Ga)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod structures. In this growth process, the undoped pure ZnO nanorods and ZnO nanorods doped with five different Ga concentrations were developed. After growing the nanorods, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted on both undoped pure ZnO and Ga-doped ZnO nanorods to observe the influence of Ga concentration on the crystalline structure of the ZnO nanorods. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine changes in the surface and cross-sectional growth of ZnO nanorods with varying Ga concentrations, thereby investigating the impact of Ga concentration on the growth of ZnO nanorods. Finally, a thin Pt film was sputtered onto the ZnO nanorod structures to assemble nanogenerators. Ultrasonic excitation was applied to develop these nanogenerators for electrical measurements, allowing us to explore the effects of metal doping on the nanorods’ electrical properties.