CHARACTERIZATION OF NICKEL OXIDE THIN FILM - DC REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering of a Ni target in an Ar/O-2 mixture. The effect of thickness (0.2 mu m, 0.4 mu m and 1 mu m) on the structural and surface morphological properties of NiO thin films was investigated. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The films were cubic NiO, with preferred orientation in the (111) direction at lower deposition time (10 mins). At higher deposition time (60 mins) the preferred orientation shifted to (200) plane. Electrochemical behavior of NiO thin films for different thickness samples were analyzed between the electrode potential -0.2 and 0.8V vs scanning calomel electrode (SCE) in both anodic and cathodic directions and the current responses were measured.