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Optical and electrical properties of Zn1−x Cd x O thin films

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Abstract

This report includes comprehensive studies on the influence of cadmium doping level of structure, surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of synthesized Zn1−x Cd x O thin films by simple and inexpensive spray pyrolysis method under optimized deposition conditions using zinc acetate dihydrate and cadmium acetate dihydrate as precursors. All deposited films were polycrystalline in nature. The deposits were having 20–50% of the Cd content-shown mixture of hexagonal–cubic phases. However, with increasing Cd concentration only cubic phases were observed. The films have a fibrous structure change to the spherical nano-structure when doping level is more than 10% in the deposits. The composition of the Zn x Cd1−x O-deposited films was confirmed by EDAX spectrum. Optical transmittance of deposits in the visible range was decreased with increasing Cd dopant. The change of energy band gap of Cd-doped ZnO films from 3.01 to 2.29 eV was observed. A systematic increase of the films n-type electrical conductivity was noticed due to increasing carrier concentration in the deposits except for 40% of Cd doping.

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Acknowledgements

One of the authors (SJ) would like to thank Manipal University for granting junior research fellowship and providing experimental facilities. The authors thank UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Mumbai Center, India for sanctioning research projects (UDCSR/MUM/AO/CRS-M-212/2015/511).

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  1. Department of Physics, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University, Manipal, 576104, India

    Sumanth Joishy & B. V. Rajendra

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  1. Sumanth Joishy
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Joishy, S., Rajendra, B.V. Optical and electrical properties of Zn1−x Cd x O thin films. Appl. Phys. A 123, 711 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1331-5

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