Growth and optical characterization of CuS/PbO thin growth and optical characterization of CuS/PbO thin films by chemical bath deposition technique and their application in solar energy conversion

Abstract

Growth and optical characterization of CuS/PbO thin films were successfully deposited on a microscopic glass as-substrate by chemical bath deposition technique. The chemical composition and thickness of the films was obtained using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry while the topography of the films was obtained by scanning electron microscope. The structural characterization of the films was obtained using X-ray diffractometer while the optical absorbance and transmittance data was obtained using UV-1800 series. It was observed that the sample deposited with 0.7conc. Layer (1) which is the sample deposited on the glass recorded a thickness value of 1628.55 (E 15 Atoms/cm²); 386.03nm. The chemical composition of the material deposited analyzer by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry are Lead (Cu: 0.50%), Sulphur (S: 3.50%), Copper (Pb: 0.64%) and Oxygen (O:95.35%). The deposited films analyzed with Scanning Electron Microscopy. The micrograph revealed a polycrystalline nature and the deposited films were found to be non-homogeneous. It is also showed that the micrograph were spherical in shape. The films as observed on the surface region indicate that the films were more compactable on glass substrate, as the kinetics of film formation on the substrate was not uniform. XRD analysis showed that the copper sulphide/lead oxide (CuS/PbO) thin films, so deposited, exhibit polycrystalline in nature in a cubic structure with preferred orientation along (100) plane. The lattice constant was given in the X-ray diffraction analysis is found to be a = 9.682Ǻ. CuS/PbO thin films have absorbance range of 0.050-0.381 in the wavelength of (300nm-1280nm). It was also observed that CuS/PbO thin films have band gap energy of 1.6eV-2.3eV respectively. CuS/PbO thin films have transmittance in the ranges of 0.424-0.889 and, reflectance ranges from 0.060-0.203 at wavelength of 300nm-1280nm respectively.