Preparation and characterization of metalorganic chemical vapor deposited nickel oxide and lithium nickel oxide thin films

Thin films of nickel oxide and lithium nickel oxide were deposited through the pyrolysis of nickel acetylacetonate and lithium nickel acetylacetonate, respectively in the temperature range 350–420 C. The single solid source precursors, nickel acetylacetonate and lithium nickel acetylacetonate were prepared and characterized using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy. The composition, optical and electrical properties of the prepared thin films were analysed using a variety of techniques, including, Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS), EDXRF, XRD, UV–Visible Spectrophotometry and van der Pauw conductivity method. The amount of metals in the prepared thin films did not reflect the ratio of the metals in the precursor but was found to depend on the deposition temperature. The energy gaps of the nickel oxide and lithium nickel oxide thin films are 3.7 and 3.2 eV, respectively. The electrical conductivity showed that lithium nickel oxide thin film has an activation energy of 0.11 eV. The conduction was explained by a hopping mechanism.