Tuning the optical properties and some surface structure of Cd-O thin film electrodeposited by two-electrode: An effect of Cobalt incorporation

Abstract

The tuning of optical and dielectric parameters, structural and microstructural properties of CdO synthesized via a solution growth two-electrode cell arrangement under ambient environment, with the incorporation of Co ion into its matrix was investigated. The energy band gaps of the films was estimated in the range of 1.69 eV</=Eg</= 1.96 eV. The extinction coefficient, k for all the samples decreases as the incident photon energy increases. The films exhibit considerably high optical conduction across the photon energy with estimated power of 1013 (Omega m)-1. The elemental composition of the samples was determined using the energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry technique. The micrograph images from scanning electron microscopy technique shown that the films are polycrystalline and well-adhered to the substrates with their crystal grains evenly dispersed across the substrates’ surface. The x-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the deposited films are of polycrystalline in nature. The films show preference for orientation along the (111) plane.

Keywords

• Polycrystalline
• solar cell
• electrochemical deposition
• direct band gap
• transparent conducting oxide