Effects of hydrogen annealing temperature on the structural and physical properties of In1.925Cr0.05Cu0.025O3 thin films

The structural, optical, electrical and magnetic properties of In1.95Cr0.05Cu0.025O3 thin film annealed in hydrogen at different temperature (TH = 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C) were investigated. The film was amorphous at TH = 300 °C and had single phase In2O3 at TH = 400 °C, while mixed phases of In2O3, In and CuCr2O4 were observed at TH = 500 and 600 °C. At TH = 400 °C the film showed semiconducting like behavior. The film's transparency decreased with increasing TH, and optical band gap decreased from 3.67 eV for film annealed at TH = 400 °C to 3.0 eV for film annealed at TH = 600 °C. The magnetization increased for film annealed at TH = 400 and 500 °C while it disappeared at TH = 600 °C. The structural and physical properties were discussed and compared with that for film annealed in air at TAir = 500 °C. •The impacts of hydrogen annealing on the structural and physical properties of In1.925Cu0.025Cr0.05O3 are reported.•The hydrogen annealing temperature affected the film crystallization and phase formation.•At TH = 400 °C the film is single phase and exhibited semiconducting behavior.•The optical band gap decreased from 3.67 eV for film annealed at TH = 400 °C to 3.0 eV for film annealed at TH = 600 °C.•The magnetization increased for film annealed at TH = 400 and 500 °C while it disappeared at TH = 600 °C.