Investigation of solution pH effect on electrochemical, microstructural, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of CdSe thin films

Abstract

Thin films of Cadmium Selenide have been prepared on indium doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates using cathodic electrodeposition technique. The deposition mechanism has been analyzed using linear sweep voltammetry. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the deposited films have hexagonal structure with most prominent reflection along (002) plane. X-ray line profile analysis technique has been used to evaluate the microstructural parameters. Surface morphology and film composition have been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis by X-rays. Optical absorption analysis has been carried out to find out the parameters such as band gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, real and imaginary dielectric constants. Photoelectrochemical solar cell analysis has been showed that the films obtained at solution pH value around 2.5 has better cell parameters as compared to the films obtained at other solution pH values.