Impact of Pb Doping on the Physical Properties of CdO Films

This study aims to produce lead-doped cadmium oxide (CdO:Pb) thin films by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) technique and investigate their physical properties in detail. CdO:Pb thin films were deposited onto microscope glass substrates at a temperature of 300±5 °C using the USP technique. To enhance the physical properties of thin films, cadmium oxide (CdO) was doped with lead (Pb) at varying concentrations of 4%, 8%, and 12% Electrical resistivity values were calculated using a four-probe technique to investigate the electrical properties of all films produced. Electrical analyses have revealed that the electrical resistivity of CdO:Pb thin films, which have n-type conductivity, increased because of Pb doping. Morphological studies show that all the films have nearly homogeneous surface morphologies, with improved surface homogeneity in the Pb-doped films, and they adhere well to the substrates. In the optical analyses of CdO:Pb thin films, critical optical parameters, including transmittance, absorption, and the forbidden energy gap, were calculated. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the structural properties of both thin films, including preferential orientation, half-peak width, and grain size. As a result, it was found that the Pb doping element has significant effects on the physical properties of CdO thin films.