Polyvinylpyrrolidone assisted wet chemical route to synthesize nanostructured cadmium sulfide thin film

139-144Nano-structured cauliflowers like cadmium sulfide (CdS) have been prepared using a facile polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) assisted wet chemical method on soda lime glass and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated conducting glass substrates. The structural, optical and surface morphological properties of the films are investigated through the analysis of the X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These results reveal polycrystalline nature, consisting of CdS cubic phase. The films show a direct band gap with band gap energy 2.42 eV. The SEM images show cauliflower like morphology with well-defined surface area. Finally, the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of PVP mediated CdS thin film samples is studied. The sample shows photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance with maximum short circuit current density of (Isc) 1.56 mA/cm2