A Study of Properties of the Nanocrystalline CdO Thin Film Prepared by Solid-Vapor Deposition Method

A nanocrystalline CdO thin film was successfully synthesized on p-type silicon substrate with approximately 370 rim thickness by a vapor transport process (solid-vapor deposition) for Cd powder at 1274 K with argon and oxygen flows in a tube furnace. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the product was a CdO nanocrystalline. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray techniques were used to characterize structural properties. The grown nanocrystalline thin film had a grain size of 38 nm. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was conducted to investigate the optical properties of the nanocrystalline CdO thin film. A strong emission peak was observed at 511 urn (2.43 eV), which is ascribable to the near-band-edge emission of CdO with a full-width and half maximum of approximately 124 nm. The sheet resistance and the resistivity of the CdO thin film were measured using a four-point probe; R-S = 16.2 Omega/sq and rho = 5.82 x 10(-1) Omega.cm. Carrier concentration and Hall mobility were obtained by Hall-effect measurement system; n = 1.53 x 10(20) cm(-3) and mu(H) = 42.3 cm(2)/Vs.