GROWTH AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITED MgCdS2 THIN FILMS

Abstract

Chemical bath deposited magnesium cadmium sulphide (MgCdS2) thin films on glass slides were studied for its optical properties using spectrophotometers. The optical characterizations show that the band gaps range between 2.30 and 2.60eV which are band gaps close to and higher than the band gaps reported for CdS thin films. The films were found to have average transmittance of greater than 69% in the UV-VIS-NIR regions while exhibiting reflectance of greater than 9% in the same regions. The estimated data using spectrophotometer show maximum values of refractive index n that range between 2.19 and 2.28, the extinction coefficient k range between 1.57 x 10-2 and 6.16 x 10-2 and that of optical conductivity σo between 0.33 x 1014 S-1 and 0.60 x 1014 S-1. Some of the films exhibit poor transmittance in the UV regions; hence, they could be effective as coatings for poultry houses as well as a good material for solar cell fabrication.