Comparative study of Si, plain glass and ITO/glass substrates effects on characterization of Ni-doped CdS thin films

In this study, Ni-doped Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) thin films were successfully deposited on silicon (Si), plain glass, and indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrates using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The impact of substrate type on the structural and optical characteristics of the prepared films was examined through the utilization of a range of analytical methodologies, encompassing X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), absorption spectroscopy (AS), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The XRD results indicate that the hexagonal structure is dominant in the thin films due to the substrates, while the nanopowders exhibit both cubic and hexagonal structures. Furthermore, the morphology and optical properties exhibited substantial variation depending on the substrate type. The PL spectrum of the CdS and Ni-doped CdS thin films on the glass substrate exhibits a prominent emission peak at 519 nm. However, PL measurements revealed that the most efficient electron transfer occurs on Si and ITO/glass substrates, as indicated by the lowest PL peak intensity. The findings indicate that the selection of substrate exerts a substantial influence on the enhancement of electronic and optical performance in Ni-doped CdS thin films.