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Structural and optical characterization of sol–gel derived boron doped Fe2O3 nanostructured films

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Abstract

Pure and boron (B) doped iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanostructured thin films were prepared by sol–gel spin coating method. The effects of B (0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 %) content on the crystallinity and morphological properties of Fe2O3 films were investigated by X-ray diffractometer and atomic force microscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the Fe2O3 films have a rhombohedral crystalline phase of α-Fe2O3 phase (hematite) with nanostructure and their crystallite size (D) is changed from 27 ± 2 to 45 ± 5 nm with B dopant content. The minimum crystallite size value of 27 ± 2 nm was obtained for 0.2 % B doped Fe2O3 film. Carrying out UV–VIS absorption study for both doped and undoped films at room temperature, it was realized that allowed optical transitions may be direct or indirect transitions. The direct and indirect energy gap values for pure Fe2O3 were obtained to be 2.07 and 1.95 eV, respectively. The optical band gap value of the films was changed with 0.1 % B doping to reach 1.86 eV for direct band gap and 1.66 eV in case of indirect band gap.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by Global Research Network for Electronic devices & Biosensors (GRNEDB) and King Saud University. One of the authors (Sh. A. Mansour) is grateful to the SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF TURKEY (TUBITAK)–BIDEB for providing him a fellowship to work in Turkey via Research Fellowship Programme for Foreign Citizens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Science, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey

    C. Aydın

  2. Basic Engineering Science Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menofia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

    Sh. A. Mansour

  3. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey

    Sh. A. Mansour & F. Yakuphanoglu

  4. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Z. A. Alahmed

Authors
  1. C. Aydın
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  2. Sh. A. Mansour
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  3. Z. A. Alahmed
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  4. F. Yakuphanoglu
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Correspondence to Sh. A. Mansour.

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Aydın, C., Mansour, S.A., Alahmed, Z.A. et al. Structural and optical characterization of sol–gel derived boron doped Fe2O3 nanostructured films. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 62, 397–403 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-012-2740-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-012-2740-8

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