Structural, optical and electrical properties of Al-doped CdO nanoparticles by solid state reaction

Abstract

In the present study, aluminium doped cadmium oxide (Cd1-xAlxO) nanoparticles at (x = 0.00, 0.03, 0.05 & 0.07) concentrations were prepared using solid-state reaction and synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to different characterisations such as X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV–Vis-Spectrophotometer (UV–Vis–NIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and I–V measurements. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the polycrystalline nature of the Cd1-xAlxO nanoparticles with cubic structure. From the XRD patterns, the crystallite size and other structural parameters were calculated. The diffuse reflectance spectra were used to calculate the optical bandgap of the Cd1-xAlxO nanoparticles and it increased with increase of aluminium (Al) concentration (2.00 eV–2.04 eV). The FT-IR spectra confirm the Cd–O vibrational bands in the Cd1-xAlxO nanoparticles.The morphological studies revealed the spherical shape of the synthesized nanoparticles. The XPS spectra confirm the presence of aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd) and oxygen (O) in the desired ratios. The current versus voltage characteristics of the Cd1-xAlxO nanoparticles were studied using Keysight source metre.