Influence of precursor pH on the optical and electrical properties of electrochemically deposited cobalt-doped ZnSe thin films for photovoltaic application

Abstract

Thin films of zinc selenide (ZnSe) were doped with cobalt during the synthesis using various doping concentrations with the aid of electrochemical deposition techniques. These films were synthesized at pH of 8–10 and characterized for optical, elemental, structural, morphological, and electrical properties to ascertain their usability in photovoltaic applications with the aid of UV-Vis, EDX, XRD, and SEM. The samples showed absorption within the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum while the energy bandgap obtained ranged from 2.0 to 2.3 ​eV. The SEM micrograph showed round-like shaped grains of the deposited samples while the XRD revealed a crystalline structure with JCPDS card number 01-088-3500 with a face-cantered cubic structure. The EDX demonstrated peaks of the deposited elements such as Zn, Se, and Co. The overall results revealed positive shifts in the properties of the materials when they are doped with cobalt and these materials have been observed to have great potential for photovoltaic applications.