Effect of a cobalt complex on the structural, optical, electrical, and anti-reflective properties of ZnO thin films
Ceramics International, cilt.51, sa.23, ss.38702-38711, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 51 Sayı: 23
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.06.107
- Dergi Adı: Ceramics International
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, Civil Engineering Abstracts
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.38702-38711
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Albedo parameter, Anti-reflective coatings, Cobalt-based dopants, Electrical conductivity, Sol-gel spin coating
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Minimizing surface light reflection is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of solar cells, necessitating the development of advanced anti-reflection coatings. This study investigates the structural, optical, electrical, and anti-reflection properties of ZnO thin films doped with commercially available cobalt acetate tetrahydrate and a synthesized cobalt complex (C16H11N3Cl2Co). The films were fabricated using the Sol-Gel spin coating method and characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF). The XRD analysis revealed a hexagonal wurtzite structure, with crystallite sizes ranging from 25.41 nm to 64.65 nm depending on the cobalt content. UV–Vis spectroscopy indicated a bandgap shift from 2.68 eV (pure ZnO) to 3.10 eV, with the synthesized cobalt complex promoting a higher bandgap. The refractive index decreased from 2.427 to 2.299 as the doping concentration increased. Electrical conductivity dropped from 1.5 × 10−7 S/cm for pure ZnO to ∼10−10 S/cm for the highest cobalt concentration. Effective atomic numbers (Zeff) decreased with increasing cobalt content, with values ranging between 13.255 and 13.453. Anti-reflection performance improved, with ZnO films doped with 6 wt% cobalt complex achieving a 7.97 % reduction in reflectance compared to those doped with commercial cobalt. These results demonstrate that cobalt-doped ZnO thin films, particularly those incorporating the synthesized cobalt complex, offer superior anti-reflection properties, making them promising candidates for enhancing solar cell efficiency.