Tuning the optical properties of Fe-doped CuxO thin films synthesized via the sol–gel spin-coating method

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2021-12, Vol.127 (12), Article 924
• Main Authors: Ruzgar, Serif, Caglar, Yasemin, Polat, Ozgur, Sobola, Dinara, Caglar, Mujdat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Atomic force microscopes; Atomic force microscopy; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical composition; Condensed Matter Physics; Copper; Copper oxides; Glass substrates; Iron; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Microscopes; Morphology; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Oxidation; Photoelectrons; Photoluminescence; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Sol-gel processes; Spin coating; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-021-05089-1

In this study, the iron (Fe)-doped copper oxide (Cu x O) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by sol–gel spin-coating method. The effects of Fe doping at different concentrations on the chemical composition, morphological and optical properties of Cu x O thin films were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method has been utilized to seek the oxidation states of Cu, O and Fe. The surface morphology of Cu x O thin films was studied with atomic force microscope. Optical analyses revealed that the optical band gap energies of Cu x O thin films increased from 2.05 ± 0.01 to 2.11 ± 0.02 eV as the Fe concentration increased from 0 to 10%. Furthermore, the Urbach energies ( E u ) of thin films were determined. It was displayed that E u decreased as the Fe dopant ratio increased. Photoluminescence (PL) method was exploited to study defect formations in the undoped and Fe substituted Cu x O thin films.