An enhancement of ferromagnetic, structural, morphological, and optical properties of Mn-doped Cu2O thin films by an electrodeposition technique

Abstract

Pure and Mn-doped Cu2O (Cu2−x MnxO; x = 0–3 mM) thin films were deposited over a fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrate by using electrodeposition along with CuSO4 and MnSO4 as sources. An enhancement of Mn doping on structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the Cu2O films was investigated in detail. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that the deposited films are cubic crystal in structure with predominant orientation along (111) the direction. The crystallite size increases from 29.03 to 39.40 nm with an increase in Mn concentration. Morphological studies show that the grain size of the films increase with an increase in Mn doping concentration and the peculiar morphology of plate shape is obtained at 3 mM Mn doping. From the AFM analysis, the surface roughness of the films increases with an increase in Mn concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirms the presence of manganese (Mn2+) as a dopant in the host Cu2O thin films. Optical studies show that the absorbance and band gap of the films increase with an increase in Mn concentrations. Magnetic measurement study indicates that the pure and the minimum doped (0.75, 1.5 mM) Cu2O films show diamagnetic behavior and Mn doping level increases to maximum (2.25, 3 mM) exhibiting a good ferromagnetic behavior.