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Photoelectrochemical cell performance of electrodeposited iron doped zinc

selenide thin film

Conference Paper · April 2013

DOI: 10.1109/ICEETS.2013.6533417

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5 authors, including:

Gaurav M. Lohar J.V. Thombare

Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Arts, Science and Commerce, satara Vidnyan Mahavidyalaya, Sangola
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S.K. Shinde Vijay Fulari

Dongguk University Shivaji University, Kolhapur
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 Photoelectrochemical cell performance of
electrodeposited Iron doped Zinc Selenide thin film
G. M. Lohara, J. V. Thombarea, S. K. Shindea,
V. J. Fularia*
a
Thin Film Physics and Holography Laboratory,
Department of Physics, Shivaji University,
Kolhapur-416 004 (MH), India
*Corresponding author’s Tel.: +91-231-2609224
E-mail address: vijayfulari@gmail.com
Abstract— In the present investigation, we are discussing the
results on photoelectrochemical cell performance of iron doped
zinc selenide thin films by Electrodeposition. Thin films were
deposited by Galvanostatically as well as potentiostatically at an
aqueous solution onto stainless steel substrate as well as ITO
(indium tin oxide). Precursor of zinc selenide is zinc sulphate
(ZnSO4), selenium dioxide (SeO2) and ferrous sulphate (FeSO4).
The deposited films were characterized by different physico-
chemical characterization such as, for structural study X-ray
diffraction study was used, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
for surface morphology, optical absorption study made by UV
spectrometer and it showed that the semiconductor nature of the
electrodeposited zinc selenide thin films with band gap 2.6 eV
and PEC performance shows that Isc is 360 mA and Voc is 135
mV.
Keywords: Iron doped zinc selenide, Galvanostatically, X-ray,
Photoelectrochemical cell
Introduction
I.
Binary semiconductors are considered important
technological materials because of their potential applications
in optoelectronics devices such as, solar cell, IR detectors, &
laser,etc [1]. Zinc selenide is well known II-VI semiconductor.
The electrodeposition has some potential advantages such as
low- temperature operation seems to be an expensive that
could produce good quality film for device application. The
attractive features of this methods are convenience for
producing large area device, control the film thickness,
morphology and stechiometry of the film is adjustable
Electrodeposition is one of the most widely accepted
techniques for the economical and efficient growth of the
films from aqueous solution, and numerous reports are
available on the deposition of various thin films by this
technique. Electrodeposition of the ZnSe is difficult because
of the wide difference in the reduction potential of Zn and Se
ions and only few reports are available on the
electrodeposition of ZnSe thin films [2-3,7].
The solar photon conversion devices called solar cells can
be classified into three main categories, (i) solid-state pho-
tovoltaic (p/n junction) solar cells, (ii) metal semiconductor
based Schottky barrier (M–S) solar cells, and (iii) semicon-
ductor liquid junction based photoelectrochemical (PEC)solar
978-1-4673-6150-7/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE
S.S.Moreb
b
Department of Physics
Y.C College, Tuljapur
Maharashtra, India
cells Semiconductor liquid junction solar cells have been
attracting attention in the last few years due to growing
interest in solar energy conversion The secondary
chalcogenide materials have been studied for the development
of photoelectrochemical solar cells for the sustained and
efficient capture of solar energy conversion [8].
Fe doped zinc selenide were synthesized by aqueous
solution. The undoped and Fe doped ZnSe were well in the
zinc blended structure. [3]. In particular, Fe doped ZnSe form
a very promising Pairs of materials due to their high chemical
stability with low lattice mismatching & wide band gap to
optoelectronics [3]. In the present work, Fe doped ZnSe thin
films have been synthesized on indium doped tin oxide (ITO)
coated conducting glass substrates by using electrodeposition
technique. We are discussing here structural properties such as
XRD, SEM, Optical properties such as absorption, band gap,
etc., wettability and Photoelectrochemical cell performance.
II. Experimental
The zinc selenide film were grown by solution containing
0.1M ZnSO4, 0.001M SeO2 and 0.1M FeSO4 in double
distilled water or in a aqueous solution. The pH was adjusted
between 2-2.5 by sulphuric acid. The films were deposited
onto stainless still substrate and indium tin oxide (ITO) by
Galvanostatically passage with a constant current 0.2 mA for
different deposition time such as 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, 90
min etc. A stainless still and ITO substrates is a working
electrode. The bath temperature maintained at 65oC. In the
present investigation only 1% doping of Fe into the ZnSe
deposition bath and related results are explained.
. Results and Discussion
III
A. XRD
The X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) of Fe doped ZnS
samples are shown in Fig.1.The solutions containing 0.1mM
in selenious acid and 0.2M in zinc sulfate the deposition time
is about 1 hour and thickness is observed 2000A°.
Furthermore, the relative intensity of XRD peaks
corresponding to ZnSe is very weak. The XRD plots show
several peaks at 2θ =25.0, 29.72, 36.96, 45.69, 74.63 shows
the plane (100), (101), (102), (110), (114) respectively,
411
indicating a hexagonal structure (jcpds file no
n – 01-089-2940).
The particle size (D) is calculated using Scheerer’s formula,
D = 0.94λ/β cos θ ------------ (1)
Where, β is the full-width at half-maximuum (FWHM), D is
the particle size value and θ is the angle bettween the incident
and the scattered x-ray [4]. The particle size is 47.03 nm.
(100)
Intensity (A.U)
(101)
(002)
(110)
(102)
(103)
20 30 40
2 θ (Deg)
Fig.1 XRD pattern of Fe doped ZnSe thin film
The number of crystallites per unit area (N)) of the films was
determined with the using formula,
----------- (2)
Where, t is thickness of the film, N number of crystallites per
unit area, and D crystallite size. [2] Number of crystal per unit
area (N) is 1.92x1025 crystals per m2
B. Scanning electron microscopy
Fig.2 SEM images of Fe doped ZnS
Se
Fig.2 shows that SEM images of electrodeeposited Fe doped
ZnSe on to the steel electrode at galvanostattically passing 0.2
mA current. Deposited film shows disk liike structure with
grain size 80 nm. Most of the disks are peerpendicular to the
electrode surface and the SEM image show ws that micro discs
are uniformly distributed on the film suurface. Remigijus
Juskenas et. al. shows that ellectrodeposited ZnSe dick like
structure and its photoelectrochhemical performance. [6].
C. Optical absorption
The absorption studdies of electrodeposited zinc
selenide (ZnSe) micro-flecks were performed by UV–Vis
spectrometer in the range of 3550–1000 nm. Figure 3 shows the
absorption spectra of electrodeeposited ZnSe micro-flecks. The
maximum absorption observedd at 510 nm. The direct band gap
jcpds card
c no.01-089-2940 of ZnSe thin films was deteermined using the well-known
relation for direct band gap, αhhν = (hν - Eg)1/2 where hν is the
photon energy and Eg is the opptical band gap.
(114)
(201)
(200)
50 60 70 80
Fig.3 optical absorption and band gap of electrodeposited ZnSe and Fe doped
ZnSe thin
t film
An energy gap could be obtained by extrapolating the
graph between (αhν)2 and hν [5][ Fig.3 shows the band gap of
the Fe doped ZnSe thin film iss 2.54 eV that showed the ‘Red-
shift’ of 0.16 eV from standarrd bulk band gap (Eg= 2.7 eV).
The band gap, Eg, graduallyy decreased by 0.16 eV after
adding the Fe impurities in ZnnSe. It is due to increase in Fe
impurities; the conductivity ofo ZnSe goes on an increase,
that’s why band gap is going too be decrease.
D. Wettability test
Fig.4 Contact angle imagge of Fe Doped ZnSe thin film
In the present case, the waater contact angle measurement
was used to study the quality of
o the Fe doped ZnSe thin films
to be used in PEC cells. The coontact angle measurements were
used as an efficient tool to deteermine quality of the PEC solar
cells based on the empirical reelationship between the contact
412
angle and the PEC solar cell efficiency. We observed that the
contact angle of Fe doped ZnSe is 75° which is hydrophilic
and it is useful for PEC Solar cell also we calculate surface
energy using Neumann‘s method [9] The surface energy is
66.90mJ/m2.
Acknowledgment
The authors acknowledge the financial support received
through the scheme No.F.4-1/2006 (BSR)/7-167/2007 (BSR)

E. Photoelectrochemical cell performance References

140 370 [1] A.R. de Moraes, D.H. Mosca, W.H. Schreiner, N. Mattoso,
360 E. Silveira, Brazilen Journal of Physics 32 (2002) 2.
130
350 [2]G. Riverosa, H. Gomeza,, R. Henrqueza, R. Schreblera,

Current (μA)
Voltage (mV)

120
(a )
110 (b )
100
90
80
30 40 50 60 70
T im e (m in )
Fig.5 Photoelectrochemical cell performance
Fe doped ZnSe (a) –voltage, (Voc), (b) - Current (Isc)
PEC solar cell with configuration of Fe doped ZnSe. We
use the 0.1 M polysulphide contain (NaOH + Na2S + S) is
formed in order to check the type of conductivity exhibited by
Fe doped ZnSe electrodes. It is seen that even in dark PEC cell
gives some dark voltage with Fe doped ZnSe electrode as the
working electrode and graphite as a counter electrode. As we
illuminate the semiconductor electrolyte junction, the value of
open circuit voltage increases with the negative polarity
towards Fe doped ZnSe photo-anode. Fig 5 shows that effect
of time on the short circuit current (Isc) and open circuit
voltage (Voc) We observed that maximum current (Isc) is 360
μA at one hour and maximum voltage (Voc) is135mV at 1.5
hour which is the maximum values of Isc and Voc. Remigijus
Juskenas et. al. shows that electrodeposited ZnSe dick like
structure and its photoelectrochemical cell performance [9].
They observed that Voc is only 20mV. We observed that after
doping of Fe impurities photoelectrochemical cell
performance is increased and Isc is 360μA as well as Voc is 135
mV. This is good improvement in the photoelectrochemical
cell performance.
340
R.E. Marottib, E.A. Dalchieleb Solar Energy Material & Solar
Cells 70(2001)255.
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Ingale, S. C. Gupta, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
356 (2011) 298

IV. Conclusions
Fe doped ZnSe thin films have been successfully deposited by
electrodeposition technique. XRD study revealed
polycrystalline nature of the films with Hexagonal structure.
SEM shows that Disc like surface morphology. optical
absorption observed at 510 nm and its band gap 2.54 eV.
Wettability shows that water contact angle 75° and its surface
energy 66.90 mj/m2 and photoelectrochemical cell
performance shows that maximum current (Isc) is 360 μA at
and maximum voltage (Voc) is135mV

413

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