A significant effect of Ce-doping on key characteristics of NiO thin films for optoelectronics facilely fabricated by spin coater. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arif, Mohd; Shkir, Mohd; Ganesh, V.; Singh, Arun; Algarni, H.; AlFaify, S.
• Is Part Of: Superlattices and microstructures. Volume 129(2019)
• Page Start: 230
• Page End: 239
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: Thin films -- X-ray diffraction -- Optical properties -- Dielectric properties -- Nonlinear properties; Superlattices as materials -- Periodicals; Microstructure -- Periodicals; Semiconductors -- Periodicals; Superréseaux -- Périodiques; Microstructure (Physique) -- Périodiques; Semiconducteurs -- Périodiques; 621.38152
• DOI: 10.1016/j.spmi.2019.03.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0749-6036

Abstract

Abstract: NiO has been found to have excellent physical properties which are crucial for several significant electro-optical devices. Herein, we have designed and fabricated high-quality films of NiO with various concentrations of Ce and studied their key properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed the cubic phase, good crystallinity and growth direction along (111) plane in the prepared samples. The crystallite size was noticed in the range of 13–30 nm. For confirming the presence of Ce doping and its homogeneity in NiO films the EDX/SEM mapping was carried out. AFM study provided the topographic information in terms of size of the grains and roughness of all films. The grown films were found to be 70–80% optically transparent in the whole testing region. Optical energy gap was found to expand from 3.60 to 3.68 eV owing to Ce-doping. The refractive index value was noticed to be in the range from 1.7 to 2.7. The n2 and χ ( 3 ) values for pure and Ce-doped NiO films varied from 2 × 10 −10 to 1.4 × 10 −11 and 1 × 10 −12 to 1.1 × 10 −11 esu, respectively. Obtained results indicated that Ce has strong influence on opto-nonlinear characteristics of NiO films and proposed their application in the opto-nonlinear devices. Highlights: Facile fabrication of Cu:NiO/glass films was achieved by spin coating technique. UV–Vis–NIR study confirms high optical transparency of deposited films. Energy gap was reduced from 3.87 to 3.8 eV due to Cu doping in NiO. Third order nonlinear properties are enhanced due to N doping. Values of n 2 and β are in range 8.36 × 10 −9 to 1.18 × 10 −9 cm 2 /W and 9.01 to 9.81 for all films.