Institution: | aThin Film Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416004 (M.S.), India bInorganic Nano-Materials Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Sungdong-Ku, Haengdang-dong 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea |
Abstract: | Bismuth oxide thin films have been deposited by room temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD) method and annealed at 623 K 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 0.3 eV after annealing. The electrical resistivity variation showed semiconductor behavior and from thermoemf measurements, the electrical conductivity was found to be of n-type. |