Fabrication and Characterization of SnO–Cu2O Mixed Metal Oxide Thin Films for Photoelectrochemical Applications

Abstract

Herein, we report the synthesis of SnO, Cu2O and SnO–Cu2O mixed oxide thin films on fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition (AACVD) process using [Cu (dmae)2(H2O)] and [Sn (dmae) (OAc)]2 as molecular precursors for SnO and Cu2O, respectively at 400 °C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern can be ascribed to the tetragonal phase of SnO crystals with space group P4 and cubic phase of Cu2O crystals with space group Pn- 3m/nmm, respectively. The surface morphology characteristics of SnO, Cu2O and SnO–Cu2Omixed oxide have been investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) which revealed that the SnO was grown homogeneously in cubical shape while Cu2O possess nano balls shaped morphologies. The UV band gap values of SnO–Cu2O mixed oxide thin film was found to be 2.6 eV appropriate for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications. The synthesized material was proposed for PEC applications and has shown enhanced catalytic performance in the presence of light.