Deposition of (CdO) 1− x(PbO) x thin films by spray pyrolysis technique and their characterization

Abstract

Mixed thin films of (CdO) 1− x (PbO) x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) were deposited from spray pyrolytic decomposition of aqueous solutions of cadmium and lead acetates on glass substrates at a substrate temperature of 350 °C. These films were characterized for their structural (X-ray diffraction (XRD)) and optical (UV-Vis-NIR spectrum) properties as a function of PbO volume percentage ( x). XRD studies confirm the cubic phase of CdO and orthorhombic phase of α-PbO. The crystallinity of (111) and (200) planes of the cubic phase of CdO is found to increase with increasing PbO vol.% until x = 0.25 and then decreases for x = 0.50 whereas the crystallinity of the (001) ⁎, (111) ⁎ and (002) ⁎ planes of PbO increases with increasing vol.% of x from 0.25 to 1.00. The mean crystallite size calculated from XRD data is ranging from191 to 671 Å. The average transmittance in the visible region (500–850 nm) varies between 40 and 68%. The direct optical band gap value of these films varies from 1.96 to 2.69 eV.