Oluwaleye, OMwakikunga, Bonex WAsante, JKO2026-02-102026-02-102025-022079-4991https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15040278http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14664The influence of structural modifications on the thermal stability, chemical bonds, and optical properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films (120 nm thick) for optoelectronic devices (solar cells, LEDs) and energy nanodevices was investigated. The films, synthesized via rf-magnetron sputtering, were implanted with V+ ions at 170 keV with varying fluences. Optical properties, including bandgap, transmittance, and absorbance, were analyzed using UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, AFM, and FTIR. Structural changes such as strain, lattice constant, surface roughness, and crystallite size significantly influenced the optical properties. Increased surface roughness led to a higher optical bandgap (up to 4.10 eV) and transmittance (82.34%), with reduced absorbance (0.12 nm). Crystallite size exhibited similar effects. At an ion fluence of 1 × 1016 ions/cm2, the bandgap and transmittance increased, while absorbance slightly decreased. Thermal stability and chemical bond analysis supported these findings. The study demonstrates that V+ ion-induced modifications enhance ZnO thin films’ properties, highlighting their potential for advanced optoelectronic and energy nanodevice applications.FulltextenZnO thin filmsStructural and optical propertiesIon implantationOptoelectronicsArticlen/a