Optoelectronic Properties of Chemically Synthesized Copper Cadmium Sulphide Thin Films

Abstract

Copper cadmium sulphide (CuCdS) thin film (TFs) is one of the most important ternary semiconductors for the development of various modern optoelectronic devices. In this study CuCdS TFs were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates utilizing chemical bath deposition (CBD) procedure at normal room temperature. The deposited materials were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer and four-point (4-point) probes for its optical and electrical (O&E) properties. The band gap (BG) energy was determined to be 2.36 eV using the absorption spectrum fitting (ASF) method. Optical constants such as refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k), real (Ɛᵣ) and imaginary (Ɛᵢ) dielectric constants, dielectric loss (tan ϕ), electrical susceptibility (Xc) have been calculated at a wavelength (?) of 900 nm. The film also demonstrates an optical transmittance of above 75% at wavelength greater than 900 nm. The electrical resistivity and conductivity were estimated to be 2.5 Ω/cm and 0.4 (Ω/cm)-1 respectively. These determined properties confirmed CuCdS TFs as a potential ternary material for various optoelectronic applications.

Keywords

• Chemical bath deposition;
• Conductivity;
• Resistivity;
• Optoelectronic applications;
• Optical constants