Advanced Photovoltaic Applications of CdO Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Ablation on Porous Silicon

In this study, cadmium oxide (CdO) was prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL). The morphological structure and optical properties of the prepared CdO were determined by various analytical techniques, including SEM, AFM and XRD. The SEM images obtained showed that the prepared film exhibited cluster-like cubic structures. The AFM images showed a homogeneous and very uniform surface. In addition, XRD analysis revealed that the prepared film had a grain size of about 20 nm. The optical properties of the fabricated film showed an increase in absorbance values with a simultaneous increase in wavelength. The maximum value was measured at 340 nm, and the measured optical energy gap was about 2.55 electron volts (eV). The solar cell was produced by depositing a CdO film on the porous silicon. The fabricated solar cell achieved an efficiency of 0.16%. Therefore, the CdO film from this work could be an important factor for the development of gas sensors and solar cells. In addition, other powerful analytical techniques were performed in this study, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and photoluminescence (PL) observations.