Title: Structural, optical and galvanomagnetical properties of low cost synthesised nanostructure Cu₂S films

Authors: A.M. Mansour; E.M. El-Menyawy; G.M. Mahmoud

Addresses: Solid-State Physics Department, Physics Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt ' Solid-State Physics Department, Physics Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt ' Solid-State Physics Department, Physics Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt

Abstract: The cu₂s powder was prepared by low-cost hydrothermal method and was deposited as thin films by thermal evaporation. The structural properties are explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD shows a monoclinic polycrystalline nature of hydrothermally prepared powder, while the deposited film shows a hump corresponding to Cu₂S nanocrystallites. HRTEM micrograph shows nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 30 to 45 nm. Based on the thermogravimetric results, the thermal kinetic parameters are calculated by application of Broido method. The optical energy band gap of the evaporated films is determined as 2.3 eV. The electrical conductivity, charge carriers concentration, carriers mobility and the magnetoresistance (MR) of the films are investigated as a function of temperature.

Keywords: copper sulphides; hydrothermal; thermogravimetric; optical; galvanomagnetic; conductivity; carriers concentration; mobility; magnetoresistance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2019.099911

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2019 Vol.14 No.3, pp.272 - 285

Received: 28 Nov 2018
Accepted: 09 Jan 2019
Published online: 27 May 2019 *

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