Victor Chukwuagozie Onuabuchi; Asad Ullah; Nkechi Josephine; Yanlong Tai; Chukwuemeka Innocent Elekalachi; Nonso Livinus Okoli
Abstract
Thin films of antimony-doped zinc telluride (Sb:ZnTe) were produced using an electrodeposition method. The examination included both the structural and optical characteristics, as well ...
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Thin films of antimony-doped zinc telluride (Sb:ZnTe) were produced using an electrodeposition method. The examination included both the structural and optical characteristics, as well as the size of the crystallites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed Sb:ZnTe on Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates had a hexagonal structure. The crystallite sizes in these thin films vary between 23.88 nm and 33.00 nm with dislocation density within the range of 2.32 to 1.02 and the microstrain between 5.59 and 3.99. UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed the absorbance values of the film decreased, with a range of 33% to 54% as the wavelength increased from 400 nm to 1100 nm. The transmittance and reflectance values of the film varied between 28.50% and 48.0% and less than 20.5%, respectively, suggesting that the deposited thin films are appropriate for use as antireflective coatings in smart window technology. The refractive indices of the films varied between 2.40 and 2.63. The extinction coefficient was found to increase with wavelength across the studied spectrum (400 nm to 1100 nm) and decrease with higher deposition potential. These extinction coefficient values suggest that the films are appropriate for use as absorber layers in thin-film solar cells. A band gap of 2.00 eV was determined at 2.5 volts and as the deposition potential increased, the films showed a decrease in the energy band gap. Gravimetric method analysis revealed that the thickness of antimony doped zinc telluride films increased from 126.18 nm to 378 nm as the deposition potentials increased from 2.5 volts to 4.5 volts. It is critical to control the electrodeposition potential to achieve the desired film thickness and properties.
