Cerium oxide and manganese (Mn) doped cerium oxide thin films on glass substrates were prepared by home built spray pyrolysis system. The effect of Mn doping on the structural, morphological and optical properties of CeO₂ films were studied. It was found that both the undoped and doped CeO₂ films were polycrystalline in nature but the preferential orientation and grain size changed upon doping. Atomic force micrograph showed a complete changeover of surface morphology from spherical to flake upon doping. A water contact angle result displayed the hydrophobic nature of the doped CeO₂ film. Optical properties indicated an increase in band-gap and a decrease in transmittance upon doping owing to Moss-Burstein effect and inverse Moss-Burstein effects. Other optical properties such as refractive index, extinction coefficient and dielectric constant as a function of doping were analysed and reported.

Links to the paper: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925838814005131