Influence of Spray Deposition Parameters on the Structural, Optical, and Morphological Properties of Nanostructured Thin Films

Nanostructured thin films are integral to a wide range of contemporary optoelectronic, sensing, and energy applications due to their adjustable physical properties. Among the available fabrication methods, spray deposition has gained considerable attention as a straightforward, cost-effective, and scalable approach for thin film fabrication. In this work, nanostructured thin films were synthesized on glass substrates via the spray deposition technique. The influence of critical deposition parameters such as substrate temperature, precursor concentration, spray rate, and nozzle-to-substrate distance on the structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of the films was systematically examined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the deposited films, with improved crystallinity observed under optimized conditions. UV–Visible spectroscopic analysis revealed high optical transparency in the visible region along with a tunable optical band gap. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed the formation of uniformly distributed nanostructures over the substrate surface. These findings highlight the significant role of spray deposition parameters in tailoring thin film growth and properties, demonstrating the potential of spray deposition as an efficient technique for advanced thin film applications.