Plasma-assisted solution combustion synthesis of Mg-incorporated CuCrO2 and AgCrO2 delafossite thin films

Abstract

P-type Mg-incorporated CuCrO2 and AgCrO2 delafossite thin films have been deposited on soda lime glass substrates at 170 °C and 360 °C by plasma-assisted combustion synthesis methods. In this study, correlations between chemical constituents, and structural and optoelectronic properties are reported. The CuCrO2 and AgCrO2 thin films show crystalline growth, dense surface, uniform structure, and p-type conductance with good optical transmittance. Electrical conductivity and optical transmittance are gradually improved upon magnesium incorporation for both the CuCrO2 and AgCrO2 thin films. The chemical composition study of undoped films exhibited the presence of oxygen interstitials within the films. By increase in the incorporation of magnesium, more oxygen interstitials were inserted within these delafossite thin films. The presence of these oxygen interstitials thereby improves the p-type electrical conductivity. Temperature-sdependent electrical resistivity measurements revealed that variable range hopping is the hole transport process in CuCrO2 films, whereas band transport is the hole transport process in the AgCrO2 films.