Evolution of Structural, Optical and Electrical Characteristics of Spin-Coated CdO Thin Films with the Gelation State of the Sol–Gel

The present work is intended to investigate the influence of the gelation state of the sol–gel on the properties of spin-coated cadmium oxide (CdO) thin films. The viscosity of the sol–gel increases at a slow uniform rate up to 5 days (break-off point) after which the rise becomes progressively more rapid and it attains saturation after 10 days of gelation. Films have been grown with gelation times of 2 days, 4 days, 6 days, 8 days, 9 days and 10 days. The visual characteristics of the films have been discussed in terms of the centrifugal force acting on the sol–gel. The sol–gel viscosity seems to be better suited to represent the gelation state of the sol–gel rather than the gelation time. The x-ray diffraction studies show that lower gelation times and lower sol–gel viscosities give rise to single crystalline CdO thin films while gelation times of 6 days and above (i.e. sol–gel viscosities of 2.92 × 10 −3 N s m −2 and more) yield polycrystalline CdO thin films. The gelation state of the sol–gel has been found to have a strong bearing on the properties of CdO thin films, and highly conducting and transparent CdO thin films can be achieved by controlling the gelation state of the sol–gel and the results obtained have been reported.