Cobalt metal doped magnesium ferrite and zinc ferrite thin films grown by Spray Pyrolysis

Abstract The transition metal doped magnesium ferrite and zinc ferrite as the most common form of iron oxide become an especially important photoanode material for photoelectrochemical water splitting, due to its comparatively small band gap (Eg = 2.0 eV) that can absorb visible light and its perfect chemical stability in watery solutions. Spinel ferrites have the general formula of AFe2O4 (where A2+:Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, etc.). Thin films were synthesized on different substrates by Spray Pyrolysis (SP) technique. The technique of SP is easier, cheaper and faster than other method. Spinel ferrites, AFe2O4, are technologically important group of materials due to their optical, magnetic, and electrical properties. Among the different spinel ferrites, magnesium ferrite have unique properties. The effects of doped cobalt metal on the thin films were analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV–Vis double beam spectrophotometer and for electrical properties of films were used Van der Pauw technique.