Journal Of College Of Education __________NO.3.Vol.

3-2011

Antimony Doping Effects on

The Interband Transition of CdO Prepared by
Chemical Spray Pyrolysis
N. F. Habubi , Z. M. Abood, S. S. Chiad
Al_Mustansiriyah University, College of Education,
Physics Department

Abstract
Optical properties of spray deposited CdO, Sb doped cadmium
chloride thin films from CdCl2 precursor, all the films were
deposited on microscope glass slide at the optimized substrate
temperature 400oC.
The transmittance of the film was observed to decrease for 5%
Sb doping, the paper investigates the variation of absorption
coefficient and optical energy gap of the as deposited films with Sb
doping.

CdCl2
.400oC
. 5%

.

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Introduction
Cadmium oxide (CdO) thin film, was the first film prepared as
a transparent conducting Oxide (TCO) in 1907, by thermal
Oxidation of sputtered cadmium, these TCOs have attracted
increasing attention over the last decades as critical components of
flat panel displays, Solar cells, and low emissivity windows [1, 2].
Recently CdO-based TCOs have been of interest due to their
simple crystal structure, high carrier mobilites, and sometimes
nearly metallic conductivities [3,4]. Epitaxial growth of Sn doped
CdO thin film on MgO prepared by pulsed laser deposition have
been the most conductive TCO thin films discovered
Thin film of Cd2SnO4, CdIn2O4 and CdO-ZnO thin films have
been fabricated with good conductivities and optical transparencies
for photovoltaic application [2]. Although the band gap of bulk CdO
is only 2.3eV [5] leading to a poor optical transparency in the short
wavelength range. A metal doping offers the possibility of tuning
the electronic structure and the optical band gap through a carrier
density dependent Burstien- Moss shift [6] for all these reasons, CdO
with a simple cubic rock-salt crystal structure and small conduction
electron effective mass represents an ideal model material in which
one can study the effect of doping on TCO band structure crystal
chemistry, and charge transport.
Many deposition technique have been adopted successfully in
preparing CdO such as reactive evaporation [7], Solution growth [8],
spray pyrolysis [9]. Sputtering and MOCVD. The aim of this work is
to fabricate thin films using an easy and cheap technique (spray
pyrolysis) and to study the effect antimony doping upon the inter
band transitions

Experimental
Thin films of CdO and CdO:Sb were deposited using an in-built
spray pyrolysis coating unit, the quality of these films when
prepared by spray, depends on various process parameters such as
spray rate, substrate temperature and the ratio of the various
constituents in the solutions, since the deviation from stoichiometry
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due to oxgen vacancies makes CdO thin films to posses
semiconducting nature.
Spray solution was prepared by mixing the appropriate volumes
of cadmium chloride (0.1M) dissolved in deionized water. To
achieve Sb doping, antimony trichloride (SbCl3) was dissolved in
isopropyl alcohol and added to the precursor solution. The doping
concentration was 5%, the amount of spray solution was made
together 50 ml. For each condition the reproducibility of the films
were verified by repeating the experiments several times,
microscope glass slides, cleaned with organic solvent, were used as
substrates the substrate temperature was fixed at 400oC which was
optimized from the experimental work .
Film thickness was about 0.5m, the transmission and
absorption spectra for as deposited thin films were recorded using
uv-visible shimadzu double beam spectrophotometer.

Result and discussions

The transmittance spectrum of CdO and CdO:Sb as a function of
incident photon energy are shown in figure (1).
The transmittance value of 28.5 at (1.45eV) for the pure are
found to decrease to 21.5 at (1.45eV) on the addition of 0.5
antimony. it is known fact that a material containing an element in
two different oxidation states or in a mixed oxidation state (like
CdO:Sb) manifest abnormally deep and intense coloration [13].
Figure (2) represents the absorptance of CdO and CdO:Sb as a
function of photon energy, it was clearly seen that the two samples
shown the same behaviounr, but the value of CdO absorptions is
less than its value when doping by antimony for a particular photon
energy, this might be due to the formation of localized energy state
due to antimony doping which increased numbers of electrons
reaching the condition band.
In the present study, an analysis of the absorption coefficient
spectra shows the total absorption must due to different optical
transition. Absorption coefficient data were elucidated from optical
transmission data for both CdO and antimony doped CdO at various
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energies and the result were reported in figure (3) from this figure it
was shown that the absorption coefficient () were affected by
antimony doping however, the absorption coefficient is slightly
affected by doping at lower energy value while the change is
observed at higher energy values.
The optical band gap was examined using the equation[14]:

hv = A(hv - Eg)r
where r=1/2 and 2 for direct and indirect allowed optical transition
respectively, whereas r=3/2 and 3 for direct and forbidden transition
respectively, A is the characteristic parameter, independent on
photon energy.
In an order to know there is one type of optical transition or
more that can exist in CdO and CdO:Sb, a graphical representation
of (hv)1/r=f(hv) for the as deposited thin film, figures (4), (5), (6)
and (7) represents (hv)2=f(hv) and (hv)1/2=f(hv) for the deposited
films, it is obvious that the first and second relation yields to a
straight line indicating the existence of direct and indirect allowed
transition.
The value of the energy band gap have been determine by
extrapolation the liner portion of the respective curves to (hv)2=0
and (hv)1/2=0 for direct allowed transition the value of the optical
energy gap of CdO and CdO:Sb were 2.4eV and 2.25eV
respectively where as for indirect allowed transition these values
were 1.15eV and 1.15eV , 0.725eV respectively.
The optical band gap decreases with antimony doping. This
may be due to the presence of localized state in the forbidden gap.
According to Mott and Devis[15]. The width of the mobility edge
depends on the degree of disorder and defects present in the
structure. Such defect produce localized states in responsible for the
decrease of optical band gap.

Conclusions

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Thin films of pure and antimony doped CdO are prepared by
spray pyrolysis technique from CdCl2 precursor.
The transmittance decreases for Sb doping which is attributed to
light absorption.
Absorption coefficient and optical band gap are calculated, the
decreases in optical band among antimony doping explained on the
basis of defect states.

References
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Coutts, I. J, Mason, T. O, Porkins, J. D, Ginely, D. S,

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5- Koffyberg, F.P. Phys Rev., B, 13, 1976,4470.
6- Burustien E. Phys Rev, 93, 1954, 632
7- Reddyk., T. Sravani C., Miles R., J. Cryst. Growth, 184,
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8- Matsuura N., Hohanson., Amm D. T., Thin Solid Films,
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G., Thin Solid Film , 361, 2000, 53.
10- Subramanyam T. K., Uthanna S., Srinivasulu B., Physical
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Chem. Mater, 14, 2002, 704-79.
12- S. L. Lawton, R. A. Jacobson, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 88, 1966,
616.

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13- E. Elangovan, K. Ramaurthithi, Crys. Res. Technol 38.No.
9, 2003, 779.
14- N. Tigau, G. Rusu, C. Gherorghies, J. Optoelectron. Adv.
Mater.4, 943, 2002, 943.
15- N. F. Molt, E.A. Davis, "Electronic Processes In NonCrystalline Materials", Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1979.

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Figure (1): The Transmittance versus photon energy

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Figure (2):
The Absorptance versus photon energy
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Figure (3): The Absorption Coefficient versus photon energy

Figure (4): (hv)2 versus photon energy for

the undoped sample
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25

Figure (5): (hv)2 versus photon energy for

5% Sb doped sample

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Figure (6): (hv)1/2 versus photon energy for

The undoped sample
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Figure (7): (hv)1/2 versus photon energy for

5% Sb doped sample

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