EFFECT OF SILVER DOPING ON IRON OXIDE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES

Iron silver oxide (AgxFe2-xO3; 0<x<2) structure for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting was grown by RF-DC co-sputtering of an iron-silver target in argon/oxygen plasma mixtures at 300 degrees C, followed by thermal annealing at 560 degrees C. The chemical composition and structure of the deposited film can be tuned by controlling the metal doping and the annealing temperature. The thermal treatment extensively improves the PEC water-splitting performances of the films. XRD patterns of AgxFe2-xO3 shown in the figure can be indexed to the hexagonal structure of silver oxide and the rhombohedral structure of hematite and new X-ray Diffraction (XRD) peaks of AgxFe2-xO3 structure. The annealing and doping process seems to cause a serious change in the crystal structure of the thin film, it showed a serious change in its electrical properties. The electrical parameters of resistance for thin films were measured using the Hall measurement method at room temperature. With Hall measurements, the n-type carrier concentration of the Fe2O3 structure was calculated, and it was observed that its resistance was 1M Omega. Likewise, it was observed that AgxFe2-xO3 exhibited an n-type carrier concentration, and its resistance was calculated to be 0.5M Omega. The conductivity change is based on silver doping. The doping process seems to cause a change in the bandgap of the thin film, it showed a change in its optical properties. The film's optical absorption was measured by UV-Vis photo spectroscopy. Subsequently, the structural and topographic properties of AgxFe2-xO3 structures were investigated by high-precision characterization devices.