Optical Investigation of the Electrodeposited Cuprous Oxide Film Electrodes using Photocurrent Spectroscopy

Abstract

Thermally grown Cuprous Oxide has known as a p-type semiconductor and the p-type conductivity is attributed to the Copperion vacancies created in the crystal lattice during the oxide formation. However, we have observed, for the first time, that the cathodically deposited Cu2O films on various metal substrates produce n-type photoconductivity. Photoelectrodes were used in a photoelectrochemical call containing an aqueous electrolyte. Photocurrent-potential behaviour demonstrate that the photoresponse is anodic and the analysis of the spectral response measurements reveal thet Cu2O has a direct bandgap of 2.0 eV. Tenactive assignment of Oxygen ion vacancies in the electrodposited cupprous Oxide films, which would result in n-Cu2O, is proposed.