Synthesis and Optical Characterization of Novel Chemically-Deposited AgCrO₂ Thin Films at Low Temperature

Abstract

At a low temperature of 50°C, the chemical bath deposition approach was effectively utilized to deposit delafossite AgCrO2 thin films. The deposited films are naturally crystalline, according to X-ray diffraction analysis. The observed reflection planes were indexed to a Rhombohedral crystal structure of the space groupR3 ̅m. Transmission electron microscopy and related chosen area electron diffraction patterns were used to confirm the crystalline nature of the deposited films. The structural investigation of the as-prepared films indicated that the anticipated particle size increases as deposition time increases. The optical transmission in addition to reflection spectra were spectrophotometrically measured in the 300-2500 nm wavelength range. The fluctuation of the optical band gap energy, Eg. Refractive index, n, in addition to the associated dispersion parameters, for instance oscillator energy, Eo, and dispersion energy Ed, as a function of deposition time, were studied. In addition, the non-linear refractive index n was calculated.