Investigation of structural, optical, antibacterial, and dielectric properties of V-doped copper oxide thin films: Comparison with undoped copper oxide thin films

Abstract

Vanadium doped Copper oxide (CO) thin films were prepared by the sol-gel dip-coating method. The properties of thin films were examined by X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), UV–Visible-NIR spectrophotometry, and dielectric properties analyzer. The antibacterial and photocatalytic properties were also determined. XRD spectra revealed the dual-phase of copper oxide (cuprite and tenorite) for all percentages of V with no other impurity peak. Tauc's relation is used to probe the optical band gap which is reduced from 1.96 to 1.64 eV with an increase in vanadium doping percentage. The impurity band coalesces with the conduction band of copper oxide to decrease the band gap. Dielectric constant measurements reveal that the Ac conductivity of thin films increases with an increase in V doping percentage.