Engineering nanostructured ZnSe thin films by Gamma irradiation

In radiation ambiance, the studies on radiation interaction with materials are imperative to have their technological applications in medical and research fields. Also, defect engineering is of profound inquisitiveness to 2-dimensional materials community. The present work aims at estimating the sensitivity of ZnSe thin films for dosimetry applications. Thus, the effects of high-dose gamma (γ) rays are explored for their structural, surface, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics on ZnSe thin films grown on glass substrates. From XRD (X-ray Diffraction) analyses, a decrease in crystallite sizes is obtained indicating an enhancement of defects. The optical characterization of irradiated thin films shows the bandgap variation; parameters such as extinction coefficient and refractive index have also been extracted. Electrical measurements were also carried out to study thin film’s sensitivity towards different γ doses. Physical alterations that the material undergoes with irradiation can be exploited for γ dosimetry applications. The modifications induced via γ-irradiation in structural, morphological, optical, surface, and electrical have been anatomized.