Synthesis of Copper(II) Schiff Base Complex and Its Mixed Thin Layer with ZnO Nanoparticles

Cu(II) complex derived from Synthesis of N-((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylene)-4-methoxyaniline Schiff base(PMMA) was studied by UV-Vis, IR spectra, and EDAX. Zinc oxide was synthesized using a simple homogeneous precipitation method with zinc acetate as a starting material. The thin layer of the studied Cu(II) complex was deposited on ZnO/Si(111) substrates by a spin coating method and characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The SEM images revealed that silicon surfaces are uniformly covered by the Cu(II) complex. AFM micrographs reveal that films are closely packed and granular in nature; the signature of agglomeration of grains is almost absent. For Cu(II) complex/ZnO/Si layer the most intensive fluorescence bands due to intra-ligand transitions were observed between 498 and 520 nm, the quenching of the emission band from ZnO at 360 nm (λex =320 nm) associated with various intrinsic or extrinsic lattice defects was noted.