Microstructural and Electrical Properties of Mn Doped Nanostructured CdO Thin Films

A great deal of research efforts was directed towards investigating the physical properties of thin film in order to improve the performance of device and for finding new applications. In this study, undoped cadmium oxide and manganese doped cadmium oxide (CdO) film were prepared using home built spray pyrolysis technique. Structural properties of undoped and Mn (manganese) doped CdO films shows polycrystalline FCC (Face Centered Cubic) crystal in nature with preferential orientation along (111) plane. X-ray peak line broadening technique was adopted to estimate grain size and strain. Film resistivity was obtained using linear four probe method. From the resistivity verses temperature plot, activation energy was estimated. It was observed that the activation energy decreases as Mn concentration in the precursor solution increases. The effect of Mn level on microstructural parameters like grain size and microstrain as well as activation energy were analyzed and reported.