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Development of homogenous n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer/p-Cu2O heterostructure thin film

  • Original Paper: Functional coatings, thin films and membranes (including deposition techniques)
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Abstract

Metal oxide semiconductor materials have shown a great potential in the fabrication of heterojunction thin film due to its improved properties for photovolatic mechanism in solar cell application. In this work, p-(111)-Cu2O based heterostructure was successfully developed with uniformity and highly oriented n-TiO2/(002)-ZnO bilayer thin film in order to overcome improper electron mobility between the heterointerface of n and p-type layer by optimizing several properties. n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer acts as window layer deposited on FTO substrate by using sol–gel spin coating method. The crystallize size and transmittance spectrum of n-TiO2 thin film was improved after n-ZnO was coated onto TiO2 thin film. Meanwhile, cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement was carried out and potential deposition of −0.4 V vs Ag/Cl at 40 °C was acquired. p-Cu2O which acts as absorbing layer was deposited onto n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer by using electrodeposition technique. The successful fabrication of n- TiO2/ZnO/p- Cu2O heterostructure were confirmed by the existence of all peaks on the XRD spectrum. Two strong absorption edges observed and the merged shape of p-Cu2O grain with other layer leads to the surface flatness improvement. The optical energies of n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer and p-Cu2O thin film are estimated as 3.15 and 1.75 eV, respectively. The structural, morphological, optical, and topological properties of thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Field emission-scanning electron microscope, Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and Atomic force microscopy, respectively.

Highlight

  • n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer thin film and p-Cu2O thin film was fabricated by using sol–gel spin coating and electrodeposition method, respectively.

  • The successful fabrication of n-TiO2/ZnO/p-Cu2O heterostructure were confirmed due to formation of p-(111)-Cu2O layer onto continuous and highly oriented-n-TiO2/(002)-ZnO bilayer thin film.

  • Two strong absorption edges observed and the optical energies of n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer and p-Cu2O thin film were estimated as 3.15 and 1.75 eV, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) vot K188 (Ref. No: FRGS/1/2019/TK10/UTHM/02/3) from Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia and Geran Penyelidikan Pascasiswazah (GPPS) vot H357 for financially support. Special thanks to all members of MiNT-SRC for technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat Johor, Malaysia

    Nurliyana Mohamad Arifin, Fariza Mohamad, Anis Zafirah Mohd Ismail, Shazleen Ahmad Ramli, Norazlina Ahmad & Mohd Zainizan Sahdan

  2. Microelectronic and Nanotechnology Shamsuddin Research Centre (MiNT-SRC), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400, Parit Raja, Batu Pahat Johor, Malaysia

    Nurliyana Mohamad Arifin, Fariza Mohamad, Anis Zafirah Mohd Ismail, Shazleen Ahmad Ramli & Norazlina Ahmad

  3. Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Malaysia

    Rosniza Hussin

  4. Faculty of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Parit Raja, Malaysia

    Nik Hisyamudin Muhd Nor

  5. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

    Mohd Zamzuri Mohammad Zain

  6. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan

    Masanobu Izaki

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  1. Nurliyana Mohamad Arifin
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  2. Fariza Mohamad
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  3. Rosniza Hussin
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  7. Nik Hisyamudin Muhd Nor
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Correspondence to Fariza Mohamad.

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Arifin, N.M., Mohamad, F., Hussin, R. et al. Development of homogenous n-TiO2/ZnO bilayer/p-Cu2O heterostructure thin film. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 100, 224–231 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-021-05650-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-021-05650-7

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