https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-025-00889-3
Regular Article - Solid State and Materials
Structural, wettability, optical, and electrical modifications by varying precursor solutions of sprayed Co3O4 thin films for solar cell applications
1
Thin Films and Interfaces Laboratory (LCMI), University of Constantine 1, 25000, Constantine, Algeria
2
Department of Electronics, Faculty of Technology, University of M’sila, University Pole, Road Bourdj Bou Arreiridj, 28000, M’sila, Algeria
3
Laboratoire Des Etudes de Matériaux d’Electronique Pour Applications Médicales (LEMEAMED), Université de Constantine 1, 25000, Constantine, Algerie
4
Laboratory of Materials Physics and Its Applications, University of M’sila, 28000, M’sila, Algeria
Received:
10
January
2025
Accepted:
18
February
2025
Published online:
8
March
2025
Co3O4 thin films were successfully deposited by spray pyrolysis with different precursor solutions, including cobalt nitrate, cobalt acetate, and cobalt chloride. The effect of these precursor solutions on the properties of the obtained Co3O4 thin films was extensively studied. XRD analysis revealed that all three films exhibited polycrystalline nature with a preferred crystal orientation along the (311) plane. The crystallite size was observed to decrease for the films prepared using three different precursors: cobalt nitrate, cobalt chloride, and cobalt acetate, respectively. Raman spectroscopy provided further confirmation of the successful formation of the Co3O4 spinel structure. AFM analysis demonstrated the significant impact of the cobalt source on surface morphology. The cobalt nitrate-based film exhibited a significantly lower surface roughness value of 15.29 nm, in contrast to the films prepared from cobalt chloride and cobalt acetate, which exhibited higher roughness values of 60.30 nm and 65 nm, respectively. Contact angle analysis revealed that all the samples exhibited a hydrophobic nature. UV–visible transmission spectra revealed that the film produced using cobalt nitrate has high light absorption and a smaller optical band gap. Electrical characterization further demonstrated that the Co3O4 film prepared with cobalt nitrate had the lowest electrical resistivity (ρ = 2.905 × 10–1 Ω.cm) among the films.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, SIF and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
