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Growth dynamics of CBD-assisted CuS nanostructured thin-film: optical, dielectric and novel switchable device applications

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The microcrystal structure of copper sulfide (CuS) nano-structured ultra-thin film was prepared on glass substrate from aqueous ammonia solution and sodium hydroxide at 60 °C using a simple and cost-effective chemical bath deposition (CBD). The powder X-ray diffraction method was used to characterize the hexagonal structure of the prepared CuS thin-film. While, surface morphology and surface topology were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical properties were investigated by using UV–visible absorption spectrum. The electronic properties including average energy gap (Penn gap), Fermi energy, electronic polarizability and valence electron plasma energy of CuS thin films were determined. Semiconductor characterization of CuS film was confirmed using temperature dependent conductivity analysis. To prove the positive photoconductivity of nano-structured CuS nano-structured thin film, photoconductivity measurements were performed. I–V characteristics result, and Hall Effect measurements were also evaluated. Our results showed that the prepared CuS nano-structured thin films have higher crystallinity, purity and higher content of copper (Cu: 89.6%) as confirmed by XRD and EDX elemental analysis, respectively. While, their optical band gap energy is about 2.2 eV. Polarization-dependent Raman investigations allowed sample identification by dominant peaks at 265 cm−1 and 474 cm−1, proving the formation of CuS. Moreover, stimulating energy was found to be 0.028 eV by employing DC conductivity measurements. The estimated surface roughness was about (115 nm) with an average thickness of about (16.3 nm) as obtained from AFM analysis. Finally, remarkable smooth multi-colored marble like textural patterns have been recorded confirming the novel switching as recorded by the polarizing optical microscopy.

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Acknowledgements

The author, Dr. Kaushik Pal owe to his sincere thanks to his colleagues, including Bachelor/Masters students, spectroscopy/electron microscopy operators from Wuhan University, China. As well as entire team of researchers are also gratefully acknowledged in Chonbuk National University, South Korea. We are grateful to both of (Dean- Research) Prof. Radwan Nile University, Egypt hel** for instrumental facilities and Dr. M. Sundararajan, Bharath University, Chennai encouraging research friendly cooperation with Prof. Kaushik Pal for establishing new research excellence of “Nanoscience Liquid Crystals (NLC)” group. Behind the success of this work all scientific members are gratefully acknowledged for excellent ideas. The authors would like to thank the Nanotechnology Research Unit (P.I. Prof. Dr. Ahmed I. El-Batal), Drug Microbiology Lab., Drug Radiation Research Department, NCRRT, Egypt, for financing and supporting this study under the project “Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Production by using Nano/Biotechnological and Irradiation Processes”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bharathiar University, R&D Centre, Coimbatore, India

    Geetha Govindasamy

  2. Department of Nanotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Bharath University, BIHER Research Park, 173 Agharam Road, Selaiyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600073, India

    Kaushik Pal

  3. Center for Nanotechnology (CNT), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed, Giza, 16453, Egypt

    M. Abd Elkodous

  4. Drug Microbiology Lab, Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt

    Gharieb S. El-Sayyad

  5. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Quantum Research Centre of Excellence, Sector - 16C, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110078, India

    Kumar Gautam

  6. Department of Physics, Saveetha Engineering, Thandalam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 602105, India

    Priya Murugasan

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  1. Geetha Govindasamy
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Govindasamy, G., Pal, K., Abd Elkodous, M. et al. Growth dynamics of CBD-assisted CuS nanostructured thin-film: optical, dielectric and novel switchable device applications. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 30, 16463–16477 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-019-02022-4

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