Electrochemical and structural investigation of BixTey thin films electrodeposited on ITO substrate
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Bismuth telluride films with various stoichiometries BixTey have been successfully elaborated by potentiostatic deposition on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate from an acidic solution containing a mixture of different concentrations of Bi3+ and HTeO2+ ions. The electrochemical study using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry shows that the electrodeposition of bismuth telluride is a quasi-reversible reaction controlled by the diffusion process and the composition of the reaction mixture controls the BixTey stoichiometry. It was found, from electrochemical and EDS analysis, that a mixture in stoichiometric proportions leads to the formation of bismuth tellurium Bi2Te3, an excess of telluryl ion HTeO2+ gives a product rich in tellurium Bi2-xTe3+x, but a high concentration of Bi3+ (compared to the stoichiometry) gives rise to the electrodeposition of a compound rich in bismuth Bi2+xTe3-x. The chronoamperometric analysis of current density-time transients using Scharifker-Hills model showed that the mechanism of deposition and growth of BixTey on ITO substrate takes place according to a progressive 3D nucleation for low Bi3+ concentration and 3D instantaneous nucleation for higher concentration. The morphology of the BixTey films is strongly depending to the electrolytes composition. The X-ray diffraction characterization shows that the crystalline structure of bismuth tellurium BixTey produced is of the rhombohedral type.
Source: Applied Surface Science Advances
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,500
OpenAlex ID: W4378450705