Tuning the optical properties of Fe-doped CuxO thin films synthesized via the sol-gel spin-coating method

In this study, the iron (Fe)-doped copper oxide (CuxO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coating method. The effects of Fe doping at different concentrations on the chemical composition, morphological and optical properties of CuxO thin films were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy method has been utilized to seek the oxidation states of Cu, O and Fe. The surface morphology of CuxO thin films was studied with atomic force microscope. Optical analyses revealed that the optical band gap energies of CuxO thin films increased from 2.05 +/- 0.01 to 2.11 +/- 0.02 eV as the Fe concentration increased from 0 to 10%. Furthermore, the Urbach energies (E-u) of thin films were determined. It was displayed that E-u decreased as the Fe dopant ratio increased. Photoluminescence (PL) method was exploited to study defect formations in the undoped and Fe substituted CuxO thin films.

Automated summary

In this study, Fe-doped copper oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrates using the sol-gel method. The effects of Fe doping on the chemical composition, morphology, and optical properties of the films were investigated, revealing an increase in optical band gap energy and a decrease in Urbach energy with increasing Fe concentration. Photoluminescence was used to study defect formations in the undoped and Fe substituted films.