Optical, Electrical, and Structural Properties of NiO Thin Films, Derived by Sol-Gel Method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Thin Film Deposition

Background:

• Nickel oxide (NiO) is a promising material for various electronic and optical applications.
• Developing cost-effective and efficient deposition methods for NiO films is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the properties of NiO films deposited by sol-gel spin coating.
• To explore the influence of film thickness, annealing temperature, and substrate type on NiO film characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Sol-gel spin coating for NiO film deposition.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystal structure analysis.
• Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) for surface morphology.
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for oxidation states.
• UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy for optical properties.
• Work function (WF) determination.

Main Results:

• Polycrystalline cubic NiO phase was confirmed by XRD.
• FESEM revealed surface morphology.
• XPS indicated the presence of Ni²⁺ and Ni³⁺ oxidation states.
• High average transparency (up to 76.9%) was observed in the visible spectrum.
• Annealing temperature and film thickness had minor effects on transparency.

Conclusions:

• Sol-gel spin coating is a viable method for producing high-quality NiO films.
• The deposited NiO films exhibit properties comparable to those obtained via expensive techniques.
• This research highlights the potential of sol-gel NiO films for practical applications.