Bismuth oxide thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method: annealing effect

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 250; no. 1-4; pp. 161 - 167
• Main Authors: Gujar, T.P., Shinde, V.R., Lokhande, C.D., Mane, R.S., Han, Sung-Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.08.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Bi2O3; Chemical bath deposition; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electrical properties of specific thin films and layer structures (multilayers, superlattices, quantum wells, wires, and dots); Electrical resistivity; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Optical; Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity); Optical constants: refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physics; SEM; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; SEM; Chemical bath deposition; Electrical resistivity; Bi2O3; Optical; Scanning electron microscopy; Annealing; Inorganic compounds; Electrical conductivity; Bismuth oxides; XRD; Monoclinic lattices; Surface structure; Thin films; Energy gap; Absorption spectra
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.12.050

Bismuth oxide thin films have been deposited by room temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD) method and annealed at 623K in air. They were characterized for structural, surface morphological, optical and electrical properties. From the X-ray diffraction patterns, it was found that after annealing a non-stoichiometric phase, Bi2O2.33, was removed and phase pure monoclinic Bi2O3 was obtained. Surface morphology of Bi2O3 film at lower magnification SEM showed rod-like structure, however, higher magnification showed a rectangular slice-like structure perpendicular to substrate, giving rise to microrods on the surface. The optical studies showed the decrease in band gap by 0.3eV after annealing. The electrical resistivity variation showed semiconductor behavior and from thermoemf measurements, the electrical conductivity was found to be of n-type.