Characterization of Indium Concentration Upon Properties of Nanostructured Copper Oxide Thin Films

Abstract

By applying the spray pyrolysis process at 350°C, CuO and In-doped CuO films with various In content of (0, 2 and 4%) were created on glass substrates. CuO films are confirmed to have a polycrystalline cubic structure by XRD analysis, with a recognizable peak at (200). As indium concentration rises, grain size grows from 13.74 nanometers to 15.82 nanometers, but the strain (%) parameter falls from 25.21 to 21.91. AFM measurements demonstrate that nanostructure exists. The average diameter size, surface roughness and rms values of the prepared films were (68.8, 49.7 and 31.2) nm, (9.77, 4,73 and 4.19) and (7.79, 6.60 and 2.23) nm for CuO, CuO: 2% In and CuO: 4% In respectively. Within the scope of this study, an investigation of the effect of indium dopant on the optical characteristics of CuO films was carried out. The transparency properties is decreased with indium doping increases, and the absorption coefficient (α) increases with indium content. The band gap values for the CuO and CuO: In films were found to be 1.98 ,1.93 and 1.87 eV with In content, respectively. The refractive index and the CuO thin film extinction values are changed with indium doping concentration change.