Theoretical analysis on the sensitivity to partial pressure of oxygen of the band gap shift in CdO thin films

Abstract

With the aim of providing an analytical approach (not accurate numerical results), for the first time, the sensitivity to the partial pressure of oxygen of the shift in the energy band gap experienced by cadmium-oxide thin films is evaluated for the visible region by introducing a suitable parameter. The sensitivity to the above pressure of the spatial carrier density is determined and compared with the sensitivity relative to the band gap shift. The gradient of the CdO carrier concentration as a function of the partial pressure of oxygen appears in the expressions for the two above sensitivity functions but the goal of this paper is not computing numerically this gradient so only qualitative estimations are done. In relation to the above results, the kinetics relative to the formation of CdO thin films are investigated. In addition, the sensitivity to the pressure in question of the corresponding optical-absorption shift in the visible range is calculated.