Comprehensive Analysis of Structural, Optical, Topographical, and Photosensing Characteristics of CuZnO Thin Films Synthesized Via Facile Chemical Route

Abstract

This study outlines the low-cost synthesis of copper-doped zinc oxide (Cu:ZnO) thin films using a chemical bath deposition method performed at 50 °C. A detailed investigation of their structural, optical, and electrical properties was conducted. X-ray diffraction confirmed the successful integration of copper within the ZnO lattice, resulting in a hexagonal Wurtzite structure and an average crystallite size of 17.18 nm. The Williamson-Hall method revealed compressive strain within the films, which is expected to influence their optical and electronic behavior. UV–Vis absorption analysis showed significant light absorption in the visible spectrum, with an absorption edge close to 700 nm, indicating a band gap of approximately 2.67 eV. Topographical analysis highlighted variations in grain structure and surface roughness. Current-voltage characteristics, measured both in darkness and under 100 W light exposure, demonstrated linear behavior indicative of ohmic contact. A notable rise in photocurrent under illumination resulted in about 78.7% photosensitivity at a bias of +2 V, confirming efficient photocarrier generation. Received: 26 August 2025 | Revised: 9 January 2026 | Accepted: 31 March 2026

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Author Contribution Statement

Harshal P. Borse: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft. Neha P. Chaware: Methodology, Software, Investigation. Manohar R. Patil: Writing – review & editing. Arun V. Patil: Writing – review & editing. Nanasaheb P. Huse: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Supervision.