Limited Cu-doping effect on morphological, structural, optical and electrochemical properties of nickel oxide nano-composite thin films

Abstract

The impact of limited doping of cupric (Cu²⁺) ion in Cu:NiO thin films substrate was examined and analysed with their morphological and opto-electrochemical properties. Many researchers in the past have already explained the concept of limited doping in the case for the transport properties of organic semiconductors. Here, we explore the impact of limited doping of copper in nickel oxide thin films as an inorganic semiconductor. The changes of morphological and optical properties of low and heavy non-stoichiometrically Cu doped NiO p-type semiconductor were analysed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), RAMAN and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The electrochemical properties of Cu:NiO and pristine NiO thin films were monitored by cyclic voltammetry study.