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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Photoelectrochemical, Structural, and Optical Investigations of Silver-Doped Cupric Oxide Films Fabricated via Electrodeposition
AU - Bensenouci, Halima
AU - Belgroune, Ahlam
AU - Cheriet, Abderrahmane
AU - Aissani, Linda
AU - Hamdi, Ahmed
AU - Ferhat, Mahmoud
AU - Boulerba, Djilali
AU - Keziz, Ahcene
AU - Ismael, Ali
AU - Taha, Taha Abdel Mohaymen
PY - 2025/9/1
Y1 - 2025/9/1
N2 - In this work, we report for the first-time the impact of silver doping on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of CuO thin films synthesized through a low-energy electrodeposition method. Both pure and Ag-doped CuO films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The photocurrent response was examined in a photo-electrochemical cell. FE-SEM revealed a significant morphology shift from rod-like grains to compact globular structures upon Ag doping. XRD confirmed a monoclinic phase, with preferred orientations along (002) and (111) planes. The intensity ratio I(111)/I(002) decreased from 1.169 for pure CuO to 1.060 with 2% Ag doping, then increased to 1.289 for 5% Ag, indicating changes in growth orientation. The crystallite size decreased from 29.8 nm (pure) to 27.8 nm with 2%Ag doping. A band gap narrowing was observed of from 2.25 eV (undoped) to 1.62 eV at 5%Ag. EIS shows a decrease in charge transfer resistance Rct from 49.86 Ω to 30.77 Ω, confirming enhanced conductivity and photo-response. These results demonstrate that Ag doping via low-energy electrodeposition effectively tunes the properties of CuO thin films, offering a novel and promising route for optoelectronic applications.
AB - In this work, we report for the first-time the impact of silver doping on the structural, electrical, and optical properties of CuO thin films synthesized through a low-energy electrodeposition method. Both pure and Ag-doped CuO films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The photocurrent response was examined in a photo-electrochemical cell. FE-SEM revealed a significant morphology shift from rod-like grains to compact globular structures upon Ag doping. XRD confirmed a monoclinic phase, with preferred orientations along (002) and (111) planes. The intensity ratio I(111)/I(002) decreased from 1.169 for pure CuO to 1.060 with 2% Ag doping, then increased to 1.289 for 5% Ag, indicating changes in growth orientation. The crystallite size decreased from 29.8 nm (pure) to 27.8 nm with 2%Ag doping. A band gap narrowing was observed of from 2.25 eV (undoped) to 1.62 eV at 5%Ag. EIS shows a decrease in charge transfer resistance Rct from 49.86 Ω to 30.77 Ω, confirming enhanced conductivity and photo-response. These results demonstrate that Ag doping via low-energy electrodeposition effectively tunes the properties of CuO thin films, offering a novel and promising route for optoelectronic applications.
KW - CuO thin films
KW - semiconductor
KW - cyclic voltammetry
KW - electrodeposition
KW - Ag-doped CuO
U2 - 10.1149/2162-8777/adfee9
DO - 10.1149/2162-8777/adfee9
M3 - Journal article
VL - 14
JO - ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology
JF - ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology
SN - 2162-8769
IS - 9
M1 - 093002
ER -