Tauc Method Research Articles

Structural, spectral characterization and dielectric properties of azidopentamminecobalt(III) complex salts containing SiF62‒ and IO3‒ anions

In the present work, two new cobalt(III) complex salts [Co(NH3)5N3]SiF6∙2H2O (1) and [Co(NH3)5N3]IO3.Cl.H2O (2) were synthesised. The crystals were grown by the slow evaporation solution technique at room temperature, and their structure was determined by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Complex salt (1) crystalizes in orthorhombic P212121 space group, with cell parameters a = 8.8969(9) (Å), b = 10.0689(10) (Å), and c = 14.1254(14) (Å). Complex salt (2) crystalizes in triclinic P-1 space group with cell parameters a = 6.8220(9) (Å), b = 7.1709(9) (Å), and c = 12.8742(15) (Å). The band gap values for (1) and (2) have been calculated using Tauc's method, yielding values of 1.72 eV for (1) and 2.51eV for (2). Furthermore, the dielectric constant properties of [Co(NH3)5N3]SiF6∙2H2O (1) and [Co(NH3)5N3]IO3.Cl.H2O (2) have also been studied, and results indicate the high conduction nature of [Co(NH3)5N3]SiF6∙2H2O (1) .

The optical properties of 3 + 3 macrocyclic Schiff base thin material obtained by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy method

3 + 3 optically active macrocyclic Schiff bases were synthesized in the reaction between 4-tert-butyl-2,6-diformylphenol with (1R,2R)-(+)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (S1) or (1S,2S)-(−)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (S1a). The new compounds were spectroscopically characterised by NMR, IR, X-ray (S1a), UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The S1a molecule creates channels with distances between oxygen atoms ranging from 5.8-6.3 Å and sufficiently large to host acetonitrile molecule. Both compounds exhibit green-yellow emission in solution and solid state. Thin layers of the S1 compound obtained via Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) were characterised by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy SEM/EDS and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical properties of the S1/Si thin material were analysed using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), fluorescence spectroscopy and synchrotron radiation (SR). The time constant for the decay investigated under SR, denoted by τ1, was determined to be approximately 1.02 ns, suggesting a fast deactivation process of the excited electronic state in the S1/Si material. The ellipsometric analysis of the S1/Si layer showed semiconducting behaviour with pronounced absorption features in the UV range, attributed to π → π* and n → π* transitions, characteristic of Schiff bases. The band-gap energy, determined using the Tauc method, is 3.46 ± 0.01 eV. These analyses highlight the material’s potential in applications requiring precise control of optical properties. In the emission spectrum of S1a, a significant emission peak of approximately 561 nm indicates the presence of a prominent emissive process within this wavelength. The S1a compound is emissive in the yellow-green region of the spectrum and has a longer decay time, which suggests that it can be used in sensing optical technologies.

Comprehensive analysis of Nd0.5Ba0.5CoO3 cobaltite: Unveiling electrical, optical and magnetic characteristics for optoelectronic applications

In this study, we successfully synthesized the perovskite cobaltite Nd0.5Ba0.5CoO3 (NBCO) using the sol-gel method and thoroughly characterized its optical and magnetic properties. Optical measurements, using UV absorption, the Tauc model, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), revealed multiple direct bandgap energies, with the most significant values being 5.23 eV (Tauc method), 5.1 eV (DRS), and 4.9 eV (reflectance). The high bandgap energies highlight NBCO's suitability for UV and optoelectronic applications. The refractive index varied between 2.48 and 3.55, while the Urbach energy was measured at 2.32 eV, indicating a moderate level of localized disorder. Magnetic characterization demonstrated a ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic transition at 125 K, with strong molecular field effects influencing the exchange interactions. The dielectric analysis revealed an exceptionally low loss factor (tan δ ≈ 0.0012), underscoring NBCO's potential for efficient energy storage and electronic applications. These results show that NBCO offers a unique combination of high optical bandgaps, strong magnetic properties, and low dielectric loss, making it a promising candidate for advanced optoelectronic and magnetic devices.

Spectroscopic and nonlinear optical investigations of biscinnamyl-sulfone derivatives: Computational and experimental insights

Novel geometrically asymmetric biscinnamyl-sulfone compounds (6a-c) with donor-π-conjugated spacer-acceptor functionality were successfully synthesized. This was achieved by coupling cinnamaldehyde precursors with 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone in dry organic solvents, resulting in high yields. Several spectroscopic techniques were employed to identify the derivatives. The absorption spectra of these compounds exhibited broad bands that spanned up to 120 nm, which can be attributed to their extended conjugation systems. In order to explore the electronic transitions of these materials, Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory (TD-DFT) with EIFPCM solvation mode was utilized. We computationally investigated the static nonlinear optical (NLO) parameters, including dipole moments (μ), polarizability (α), anisotropic polarizability (Δα), first-order hyperpolarization (β), and second-order hyperpolarization (γ). Although the new structures possess different functional groups, they displayed similar electronic potentials when their molecular electrostatic potentials were plotted. These potentials are crucial in stabilizing the molecules in crystal systems through noncovalent forces such as C-H⋯π stacking and hydrogen bonding. They also provide insights into the electronic assessments and energetics of these individual forces. By estimating the frontier orbitals, we gained an understanding of the intramolecular charge transfer in the compounds. Energy gap values were determined using the orbitals of density of states method and experimentally via the Tauc method. The computational and experimental results were in good agreement. Lastly, we examined the influence of different protic and aprotic solvents on the absorption bands of compound 6b, as an example. This compound showed a significant bathochromic shift of 41 nm upon changing the solvent from acetic acid to dimethyl sulfoxide.

Optical and electrical properties of annealed graphene oxide doped Al2O3:ZnO thin film

This study focuses on characterizing graphene oxide-doped AZO (Al2O3:ZnO) nanocomposite thin films deposited on glass substrates using the thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) deposition technique. We investigated the effects of annealing at 200 °C for 10 min on the electrical, optical, and surface properties of these films. In particular, the surface roughness measured by AFM decreased from 6 nm to 4 nm after annealing. FESEM analysis revealed symmetrical surface features after the treatment. Furthermore, the Tauc Method extrapolation highlighted deviations in the energy gap values before and after annealing, indicating changes in the optical properties and electronic structure. The electrical resistivity decreased significantly from 14 MOhm to 5 MOhm, while the optical transmittance in the 400–700 nm range increased from 36.45 % to 41.24 %. This research highlights the potential of TVA as a valuable technique for creating high-functional materials suitable for nanotechnology applications and confirms the trends observed in the last 10 years of research and development work in this field.

P-type nickel cobalt oxide synthetized by chemical bath deposition to applications on thin film transistors

This work studies nickel-cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) thin films synthesized via chemical bath deposition for potential application as p-type active layers in electronic devices. X-ray photoemission electron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the synthesis of a ternary compound with a stoichiometry of Ni1.04Co1.96O4. The thin film sample exhibiting the closest stoichiometry to the ternary compound has a thickness of approximately 50 nm. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs indicate an increase in surface porous size corresponding to higher nickel concentrations in the ternary compound. All synthesized NiCo2O4 thin films demonstrate p-type behavior. The lowest resistivity film had a majority carrier concentration of 1×1020 1/cm3, a mobility value of 0.1 cm2/V·s, and a resistivity of 0.1 Ω cm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal that the thin films have a type of spinel cubic structure for the phase NiCo2O4. Characteristic spinel bands are observed in the UV–Vis transmittance spectra, and the energy bandgaps of the Ni1.04Co1.96O4 film are estimated to be approximately 3.41 and 2.19 eV using the Tauc method. The thin film with the lowest resistivity was used as an active layer to fabricate a thin-film transistor, displaying typical output curves of a p-channel transistor.

Enhancement of electrical conductivity and band gap of epoxy/MWCNT/GNP/glass fibers hybrid materials

Polymer composites containing carbon nanoparticles have attracted considerable attention because of their special functional characteristics. Characterization of optical and dielectric characteristics was done. To comprehend the impact of nanofillers, dielectric characteristics, UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, and Fourier transform spectroscopy were employed. The role of carbon fillers on metrics, such as band gap energy, absorption coefficient, and dielectric characteristics of nanocomposites was examined to differentiate between the effects of nanofillers. The AC conductivity is explained following the classical percolation theory. The percolation threshold is discovered to be 1 wt.% of a hybrid system of nanofillers consisting of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The presence of carbon nanofillers significantly enhances the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites. The optical band gap energy of nanocomposites was obtained from the Tauc method. The study establishes the relationship between band gap energy and AC conductivity using Tauc’s relation and Jonscher’s power law. The results show that the band gap energy of composites decreases with the addition of hybrid nanofillers, with values observed at 2.65 eV and 2.95 eV, while without fillers of 3.1 eV and 3.05 eV attributed to increased localized states within the bandgap. Composites with nanofillers show an AC conductivity of 1.86 S/m at 1 wt% of nanofillers, compared to 1.52 × 10−6 S/m and 1.09 × 10−6 S/m for composites without nanofillers. The UV–Vis spectra reveal a significant blue shift in the absorption peak when the weight percentage of carbon nanoparticles is increased. The findings of this study point toward the possibilities of the development of novel nanocomposites with enhanced performance for electronics and energy storage.

Enhancing π-SnS thin films and fabrication of p-SnS/n-Si heterostructures through flow rate control in ultrasonic spray pyrolysis for improved photovoltaic performance

This study presents findings related to the characterization of cubic SnS (π-SnS) thin films and p-SnS/n-Si heterojunction structures produced simultaneously using the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. In this context, the impact of different spray solution flow rates on the morphological, structural, optical, and electrical characteristics of the films was examined. Morphological analyses revealed that higher flow rates resulted in films with denser and smoother surfaces, approximately 6 nm in roughness. Additionally, it was observed that both the thickness and the growth rate of the films could be adjusted through the modulation of the flow rate. Structural analyses determined that the crystallite size increased and micro-strain values decreased with increasing flow rates. Optical evaluations indicated a decline in the optical band gap of the thin films from about 1.8 eV to 1.7 eV as the flow rates increased. This trend was consistently observed in the data obtained using the Tauc method and the derivative of transmission with respect to wavelength versus photon energy graphs. Electrical analyses revealed that the resistivity values of the thin films increased from 5.24 × 105 Ωcm to 1.64 × 106 Ωcm with increasing flow rates. Furthermore, I-V analyses of the Au/p-SnS/n-Si/Ag heterojunction structures indicated significant variability in key electrical properties. The saturation currents displayed a broad range, suggesting varying efficiencies in charge carrier collection across different samples. Similarly, the change of ideality factors pointed to differences in charge transport mechanisms, while the shifts in barrier heights indicated changes in junction properties with different fabrication conditions. The results of this study offer valuable perspectives for future research.

Influence of electron irradiation on the band gap and microhardness of TlInS2, TlInSSe and TlIn0.99Cr0.01S2 single crystals

ABSTRACT This work investigated the effect of partial replacement of sulphur atoms with selenium atoms (TlInSSe) and indium atoms with chromium atoms (TlIn0.99Cr0.01S2) on the band gap and microhardness of TlInS2 single crystals irradiated with electrons with energy of 2 MeV and a fluence of up to 1.5 × 1017 el/cm2. The band gap from the measured absorption spectra was determined using the Tauc method. It has been established that this irradiation leads to a decrease in the band gap in TlInS2, TlInSSe and TlIn0.99Cr0.01S2 crystals. It has been shown that after electron irradiation the microhardness of these crystals increased due to an increase in the size of crystallites on their surface.

Comprehensive structural analysis, magnetic, elastic, and optical properties of Cu–Ni–Co spinel and its potential applications

This work investigates the Cu0·6Ni0·2Co0·2FeAlO4 (CNCFAO) spinel nanoparticle, focusing on its structural, magnetic, elastic, and optical properties. The structural analysis provided various parameters, such as lattice parameter, crystallite size, and bond lengths, which were compared to theoretical values. The force constants of the sample were used to calculate stiffness constants (C11, C12, and C44), which in turn were used to determine elastic moduli such as the bulk modulus (B), longitudinal modulus (L), and rigidity modulus (G). The calculated Pugh ratio (B/G) indicated the brittle mechanical nature of the sample, while the Poisson ratio (σ) was estimated as σ = 0.25, consistent with isotropic elasticity theory. The sample demonstrated a low coercive field, indicating its potential for soft magnetic devices. Optical characteristics were evaluated using the Tauc method, revealing a direct optical transition with estimated band-gap (Eg) and Urbach (Eu) energies of 2.38 eV and 0.59 eV, respectively. Additional optical properties, including the penetration depth, refractive index, and extinction coefficient, were thoroughly examined. These results provide valuable insights into the potential optoelectronic applications of the synthesized sample.

Investigation of the structural and optical characteristics of La2FeCrO6 double perovskite for optoelectronic applications

La2FeCrO6 nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method and their linear and non-linear optical properties were investigated. Optical transmittance and absorption were measured for wavelengths between 200 and 1000 nm using UV–visible analysis at room temperature. The results demonstrated the potential use of La2FeCrO6 in optoelectronics applications due to its interesting optical properties. Transmittance and absorption, as well as absorption coefficients, band gap (Eg), Urbach energy (Eu), refractive coefficients, optical conductivity, and dielectric function were examined. According to the analysis, the band gap energy was determined to be 3.501 eV using the Tauc method, while the Urbach energy value was 0.324 eV. Non-linear sensitivities of the first and third order were also calculated, along with linear and non-linear refractive constants. The results lead to the conclusion that La2FeCrO6 represents a promising material for applications in the field of optical electronics, taking into consideration its optical properties, whether linear or non-linear.

Mechanistic study of visible light driven photocatalytic degradation of clofibric acid using Fe-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs)

Although a series of past studies proved the potential usage of Fe-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as photocatalysts, there remains a knowledge gap of the photocatalytic mechanism stemming from the challenge to separate the simultaneous sorption and photocatalytic degradation. Thus, this article aimed to suggest a novel approach by desorbing target molecules during photocatalysis to excavate the underlying mechanisms of sorption and photocatalytic degradation. In this study, two Fe-based MOFs, MIL-101(Fe) and MIL-101(Fe)–NH2, were selected to remove clofibric acid under visible light irradiation. Prior to photocatalysis, sorption mechanism was uncovered based on the sorption kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic interpretation, and of its dependence on solution pH. The results inferred that the primary sorption mechanism was through the π-π interaction between the benzene ring of clofibric acid and the organic ligand of Fe-based MOFs. Based on these results, photocatalytic mechanism could be independently or jointly assessed during the photocatalytic degradation of clofibric acid. Subsequently, the application of the Tauc method and XPS spectra revealed that the bandgap structure of Fe-based MOFs had the potential to oxidize clofibric acid by producing ROS through the electron excitation upon visible-light illumination. On top of that, the amine functionalization of Fe-based MOF altered the structural moiety that led to an additional strong acid-base interaction with clofibric acid but a decrease in the bandgap limiting the ROS production during photocatalytic activity.

Sustainable removal of organic pollutants using biochar based ZnO composites: Experimental and theoretical studies of remediation process

The tailoring of biochar to enhance its remediation efficiency for removal of pollutants from water has been a hot topic these days. Fabricating two different biochar materials using metal oxide nano particles in four ratios has been done in this work. The synthesized materials have been characterized by XRD, surface functional groups were analyzed using FTIR and XPS, band gap calculation were carried out using Tauc's method, recombination of charges was studied using photoluminescence spectroscopy, morphological, textural properties and elemental analysis was done using SEM, BET, TGA, EIS and EDX analysis. The removal of organic pollutants including phenol, dibutyl phthalate and gallic acid up to 91.6 %, 84 % and 95 % was observed employing these composites. The band gap reduction from 3.1 eV to 2.5 eV and 2.8 eV was observed in case of ZW(1–10) and ZP(1–10) respectively. The formation of Zn-O-C bond in the composite could be possible reasons for the band gap reduction and excellent performance exhibited by the composite. The results highlight the influence of functional groups on the efficiency of synthesized material. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed using Gaussian16 software to propose the adsorption mechanism for the observed results. The energy calculation for different binding modes were carried out. Theoretical findings agreed with the empirically demonstrated remediation mechanism.

Determination of energy band gap of α-LiIO3 doped with L-Arginine and L-Nitroarginine amino acids using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

An accurate determination of the band gap energy is crucial for predicting the photophysical and photochemical properties of investigated materials. In the present work, the dependence of the energy band gap (Eg ) of α-LiIO3 crystals doped with L-arginine and L-nitroarginine amino acids was obtained. The method, based on the simultaneous fitting of many absorption mechanisms to the spectral dependence of the Kubelka-Munk function estimated from diffuse reflection data, as well as Tauc's method, has been applied to determine the energy band gap. In the case of a small dopant concentration, additional electron states appear within the band gap of the crystals. As a result, a broad absorption band appears in the material spectrum. The optical transmittance spectra were recorded using an Agilent Cary 60 spectrophotometer in the spectral range 190–1100 nm.

Optoelectronic properties of BiCuOSe p-type oxychalcogenides

BiCuOSe systems are proposed as candidates to develop transparent p-type semiconductors in the visible region. This work reports the characterization results obtained for the BiCuOSe powders, synthesized by the solid-state reaction (SSR) method through mechanical milling, and nanostructured thin films deposited from the same processed powders using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Structural characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the material presents a tetragonal structure with an average crystallite size of 21 nm and a preferential orientation in the (1 0 2) plane. The morphological and particle size evolution of BiCuOSe powders is presented as a function of the milling time. Transmission and scanning electron microscopies confirmed the spherical geometry of the particles in the powders and nanosheets like structure for the films. Particle sizes were also estimated, ranging from 10 to 100 nm for powders and 60 to 70 nm for films. The bandgap values, EG, for BiCuOSe powders were estimated from diffuse reflectance spectra using the Kubelka–Munk method, yielding values close to 0.7 eV. For thin films, EG values were estimated using the Tauc method, obtaining values in the range of 0.8–3.5 eV, depending on the annealing treatment. Additionally, electrical properties were measured in all deposited thin films, confirming the p-type conductivity, a minimal resistivity of 0.0735 Ω cm, hole mobility on the order of 88 cm2/Vs, and carrier concentration of 9.7 × 1018 cm−3.

Vivianite oxidation is not photocatalyzed

Vivianite is a hydrous Fe(II) phosphate mineral found in anoxic environments that plays an integral role in P cycling and environmental biogeochemistry. Imbued in the vivianite literature dating as far back as 1918 is the notion that vivianite is light-sensitive and susceptible to rapid photooxidation induced entirely by solar light. However, despite an exhaustive search, to our knowledge this conventionally accepted assumption has never been directly tested, nor has the band gap ever been measured. Resolving this question of photochemical control of vivianite redox chemistry is important for performing and interpreting experiments involving vivianite reactivity with contaminants, and potentially iron and phosphate cycling in the photic zone of aquatic systems. The present study was specifically designed to address this question. Pure synthetic vivianite samples were irradiated in aqueous suspensions with a Xe lamp at conditions mimicking the solar spectrum and compared to dark controls. Particles stirred in anoxic suspensions for up to 66 days showed no detectable oxidation irrespective of light exposure, according to colorimetric Fe(II)/Fe(III) assays, micro X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. In contrast, the same experiment performed using air-equilibrated suspensions showed systematic oxidation of up to ∼80 mol% Fe(II) at 66 days, but again with no detectable light exposure effect. To test for UV reactivity, further experiments on vivianite powders under air versus N2 atmosphere were performed using a Hg lamp with a longpass filter. In contrast to oxidation in air where no effect of light was detected, after 24 h irradiation anoxically, an additional 0.8 % Fe was oxidized compared to dark controls, and after 13 days only an additional 0.3 % Fe was oxidized. The band gap of pure vivianite was measured by the Tauc method to be 3.5 eV. Contrary to previous reports, solar light has minimal impact on the oxidation of pure vivianite; any such effect would be insignificant when compared to its relatively fast oxidation by oxygen exposure. As such, light does not need to be excluded when running typical vivianite laboratory experiments. Long-term storage of natural vivianite in museums or private collections should continue protective measures given that a possible photocatalytic role of impurities cannot yet be ruled out.Nonetheless, at all depths in natural aquatic systems, including the photic zone, it appears that the primary abiotic control on the reactivity and half-life of vivianite particles would be the dissolved oxygen concentration, not light exposure.

MORPHOLOGICAL, OPTICAL PROPERTIES AND ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF ZnO THIN FILMS DOPED WITH ALUMINUM

This paper presents the results of investigation of aluminum-doped zinc oxide thin films obtained by radio-frequency magnetron deposition on a glass substrate. It was shown by energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy that the average aluminum content in the thin films was 0.2–0.8 at.%. An increase in the average grain size with increasing aluminum concentration was shown, and column-like growth of the films was established using microscopic images. Investigation of the electronic structure showed a redistribution of intensity in the O 1s spectrum with aluminum doping. The valence band spectra were also obtained, and theoretical calculations were performed within the framework of density functional theory to better understanding the results. Using a spectrophotometer, the transparency of the films obtained after aluminum doping was shown to increase. With the help of the Tauc method, the band gap was determined to be 3.41 eV, while DFT calculations showed a band gap of 1.25 eV.

Influence of pH value of precursor on growth, structural, and optical properties of Cu2O thin films grown in Mist-CVD

The Cu2O thin films were prepared from copper (II) acetylacetonate (Cu(acac)2) by the mist chemical vapor deposition (mist-CVD) method, depending on the pH value of the prepared solution. It was confirmed that the well-oriented Cu2O thin films were grown at a dominant (111) peak according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement using an alkaline precursor solution. The pH of the prepared solution drastically affected the surface morphology of the Cu2O thin films, and the lowest Root Means Square (RMS) was found for pH-10 of the precursor solution. The confocal Raman spectrum confirmed the formation of the cubic Cu2O crystal structures for each pH value of the precursor solution. The very transparent Cu2O thin films that were grown. The highest transmittance, 70%, was obtained at 1100 nm from the absorption spectrum for Sample B. The optical energy band gaps of Cu2O thin films were determined using Tauc's method and found to vary within a range of 2.53 to 2.49 eV, indicating a change in the material's electronic structure. The study demonstrated the crucial role of the pH level of the prepared solution in the growth of the Cu2O thin film. Specifically, it was found that a higher pH level resulted in a greater concentration of hydroxide ions (OH−), which was a crucial factor in the growth process. These findings can be significant in using p-type Cu2O thin films prepared based on mist-CVD for optoelectronic applications.

Effect of lightly substituted samarium ions on the structural, optical, magnetic and dielectric properties of the sonochemically synthesized M-type Sr-hexaferrite nanoparticles

In this study, the role of sonochemical treatment followed by a combustion process adopted for the synthesis of SrSmxFe12-xO19 (x = 0.01 to 0.03) hexaferrites. We have investigated effect of lightly Sm substitutions on structural, magnetic, optical and dielectric properties in Strontium hexaferrites. X-ray diffraction analysis show M as major phase with impurity. The FTIR analysis shows that the value of force constant increased on both sides (tetra hederal and octa hederal) with the increase of samarium content. The band gap was calculated using Tauc method from UV–Visible spectra. Result shows that as the samarium content increases from x = 0.01 to 0.03 the band gap gradually increases from 2.50 eV 2.91 eV respectively. The surface morphology of prepared Sm substituted SrM nanoparticles was examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy, an average particle size was found to 301 nm, 254 nm, and 285 nm for x = 0.01, 0.02, and 0.03 compositions respectively. High values of Ms (53.104 emu/g.) and Mr (29.0 emu/g) observed in x = 0.03 sample with low Hc of 53.104 Oe. Mr/Ms values of all samples are >0.5 show that of formed hexaferrite nanoparticles possess single magnetic domain structure. The Sm-doped of the SrFe12O19 compound exhibits a low dielectric constant (ε′) ∼ 20 at low frequencies, while it increased with increasing temperature and reached 100 when the Sm content was 0.01, but less than 150 in x = 0.02 and 0.03. The temperature and frequency-dependent dielectric constant confirmed the contributions of different polarization mechanisms.

Influence of Thermal Annealing on the Band-Gap of TiO2 Thin Films Produced by the Sol-Gel Method

In our study, we used the spin coating method to produce TiO2 thin films on quartz glass using a solution with a concentration of 0.5M. After the coating process, the samples were dried in air at 100°C. Subsequently, annealing was carried out at four different temperatures, namely 300°C, 500°C, 700°C, and 900°C, for a duration of 60 minutes. Comprehensive analyzes including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and optical measurements were carried out to investigate the structural and optical properties of the samples. Optical measurements showed that the highest average transmittance values were obtained for samples annealed at 300°C and 500°C, with percentages of 82.33% and 80.25%, respectively. Remarkably, the maximum transmittance of 99.58% was recorded for films annealed at 500°C. Additionally, band-gap calculations were performed using the Tauc method based on optical measurements of samples exposed to different annealing temperatures. According to our results, samples annealed at 300°C, 500°C, 700°C, and 900°C exhibited band-gap values of 3.42eV, 3.40eV, 3.38eV, and 3.29eV, respectively.