A nanostructured copper telluride thin film grown at room temperature by an electrodeposition method

Copper telluride onion flower like microstructures, constructed by quantum dots with various diameters, were obtained by a potentiostatic electrodeposition method at room temperature. The structural, optical, surface morphology, compositional analysis and Raman spectra properties of the deposited films have been studied using X-ray diffraction, optical absorption with scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrolyte concentration and deposition time can be used to control the diameter of the electrodeposited quantum dots to within a range of 50-55 nm. The films are found to be stoichiometric in composition. The optical constants such as the optical band gap energy and the optical absorption spectra show significant variation in their values with a change in deposition time. Upon deposition time the band gap energy increased from a value of 2.74 to 2.89 eV.