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Physical Vapor Deposited [Co:Cd-(dtc)2]/SnO2 Dual Semiconductor Systems: Synthesis, Characterization and Photo-Electrochemistry

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Abstract

Current work reports the fabrication of cadmium, cobalt and cobalt doped cadmium semiconductor chalcogenide [Cd-(dtc)2 [dtc = dithiocarbmate], Co-(dtc)2, and Co:Cd-(dtc)2] complexes using iso-propylammonium dithiocarbamate precursor grown into thin films via physical vapor deposition (PVD) for the first time. Cubic crystals having 18 nm of average size were revealed via X-ray diffraction. Varied molecular arrangements and bonding types were disclosed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Bandgap tailoring was done by doping leading to a broadening in bandgap i.e., 3.72, and 3.5 eV direct and indirect bandgaps, respectively through ultra-violet visible spectrophotometry. PVD grown thin films indicated formation of clusters and irregular structures between the gaps and voids of micro-grains shown by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Rutherford back scattering spectroscopy expressed the remarkable thickness i.e., 615 nm with stronger signals for Cd, Co and S elements. Furthermore, the electrochemical analysis of the pristine and doped chalcogenide thin films done via cyclic, linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry elucidated the excellent photo-response and functional stability and confirmed the potential of these films as future candidates for multitudinous photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices especially the utilization of [Co:Cd-(dtc)2]/SnO2 thin films in solar cell devices is expected to yield higher through put potentials and photo-currents if sandwiched between the active absorber layer and photo-electrodes.

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Acknowledgements

The concept, idea, data and writing is the intellectual property right of Dr. Khuram Shahzad Ahmad and Lab E-21 of Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, 46000, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Author want to thank Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, 46000, Rawalpindi, Pakistan for the provisioning of the technical and financial facilities needed for the completion of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    Khuram Shahzad Ahmad, Hajira Siraj & Shaan Bibi Jaffri

  2. National Institute of Vacuum Science and Technology (NINVAST), Islamabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Khalid Alamgir

  3. School of Natural Science, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Manzar Sohail

  4. Department of Chemistry, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan

    Rana Farhat Mehmood

  5. Department of Chemistry, University of Lahore Sargodha Campus, Sargodha, Pakistan

    Misbah ur Rehman

  6. Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Daoud Ali

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  1. Khuram Shahzad Ahmad
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  2. Hajira Siraj
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Ahmad, K.S., Siraj, H., Jaffri, S.B. et al. Physical Vapor Deposited [Co:Cd-(dtc)2]/SnO2 Dual Semiconductor Systems: Synthesis, Characterization and Photo-Electrochemistry. J Inorg Organomet Polym 31, 2579–2593 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10904-021-01927-0

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