Collection of scientific works Nanosystems, nanomaterials, nanotechnologies
Year 2026 Volume 24, Issue 2
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I. I. MEDVID1, I. Yo. KUKHARSKYY1, I. O. BORDUN1, V. G. BIHDAY1, Zh. Ya. TSAPOVSKA1, I. M. KOFLIUK1, D. S. LEONOV2, and O. M. BORDUN1

1Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 50, Drahomanov Str., UA-79005 Lviv, Ukraine
2Technical Centre, N.A.S. of Ukraine, 13, Pokrovska Str., UA-04070 Kyiv, Ukraine

Influence of Cr3+ and Mn2+ Activators on the Surface Morphology Formation of ZnGa2O4 Thin Films Obtained by RF Ion-Plasma Sputtering

489–502 (2026)

PACS numbers: 68.35.Ct, 68.37.Ps, 68.47.Gh, 68.55.J-, 81.15.Cd, 81.16.Pr, 81.65.Mq

Received 19 May, 2026

The surface morphology of zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) thin films doped with Mn2+ and Cr3+ ions, obtained by RF ion-plasma sputtering on fused quartz (υ-SiO2) substrates, is analyzed. The influence of the activator type on the values of statistical surface-roughness parameters, grain sizes, and the nature of their distribution is investigated, using atomic force microscopy (AFM). As established, as-deposited ZnGa2O4:Mn films possess a fine-grained structure with pronounced nanopeaks (with coefficient of kurtosis Ska = 6.4), whereas ZnGa2O4:Cr films are characterized by larger grains and higher root-mean-square (RMS) roughness. As shown, thermal treatment leads to an increase in the grain size of the investigated samples. The results are explained, based on the crystallochemical features of the substitution of Zn2+ and Ga3+ ions by Mn2+ and Cr3+ ions in the corresponding positions of the spinel crystal structure.

KEY WORDS: zinc gallate, manganese activator, chromium activator, thin films, crystallites, surface morphology, AFM, thin-film annealing

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/nnn.24.02.0489

Citation:
I. I. Medvid, I. Yo. Kukharskyy, I. O. Bordun, V. G. Bihday, Zh. Ya. Tsapovska, I. M. Kofliuk, D. S. Leonov, and O. M. Bordun, Influence of Cr3+ and Mn2+ Activators on the Surface Morphology Formation of ZnGa2O4 Thin Films Obtained by RF Ion-Plasma Sputtering, Nanosistemi, Nanomateriali, Nanotehnologii, 24, No. 2: 489–502 (2026); https://doi.org/10.15407/nnn.24.02.0489
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