Study of high mobility carriers in Ni-doped CdO films

Cadmium oxide (CdO) doped with different amounts of nickel ion thin films have been prepared on silicon and glass substrates by vacuum evaporation technique. The effects of nickel doping on the structural, electrical, optical and optoelectronic properties of the host CdO films were systematically studied. The sample elemental composition was determined by the X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy method. The X-ray diffraction method was used to study the crystalline structure of the samples. It shows that some of Ni $³⁺$ ions occupy mainly locations when in interstitial positions and Cd2 + -ion vacancies of CdO lattice. The bandgap of Ni-doped CdO suffers narrowing till 10–12% compared to undoped CdO. Such bandgap narrowing was studied within the framework of the available models. The electrical behaviours show that all the prepared Ni-doped CdO films are degenerate semiconductors. However, the nickel doping influences all the optoelectrical properties of CdO. Their d.c. conductivity, carrier concentration and mobility increased compared to undoped CdO film. The largest mobility of 112·6 cm2/V·s was measured for 1–2% Ni-doped CdO film. From optoelectronics point of view, Ni-doped CdO can be used in infrared-transparent-conducting-oxide (NIR–TCO) applications.