An investigation of the optical properties of YbFe1-xIrxO3-delta (x=0, 0.01 and 0.10) orthoferrite films

Abstract

Recently, band gap engineering, known as a process for the altering/tuning the band gap of the materials, have grabbed enormous attentions. The current research scrutinizes to tune the optical band of YbFeO3 (YbFO) material via Ir doping into Fe sites. In this study, magnetron sputtering technique was employed to deposit the YbFO and Ir doped YbFO (1 mol % and 10 mol % Ir doped) films. Indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates were utilized as substrates and films were deposited at 500 degrees C. XRD was exploited to investigate crystalline structure of the YbFO and Ir substituted YbFO films. AFM was employed for the surface topographical investigations and XPS analyses were performed to unleash the valence states of elements. The present investigation has displayed the band gap of orthoferrite YbFO is reduced from 2.1 eV to 1.67 eV by replacing Fe atoms by transition element Ir. Moreover, the optical conductivity, dielectric constant, transmittance %, reflectance %, refractive index (n), extinction coefficient (k) have been discussed.