Synthesis and characterisations of Au-nanoparticle-doped TiO2 and CdO thin films

• Au NPs can be used to modify the optical, structural and morphological properties of TiO2 and CdO thin films
• A detailed explanation of the optical parameters of Au NP-doped TiO2 thin films
• The purpose of this study is to synthesise CdO thin films with Au NP-doping material using the sol–gel method

In the present study, pure and gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) and cadmium oxide (CdO) thin film were prepared by the sol–gel method, and the effect of Au NP doping on the optical, structural and morphological properties of these thin films was investigated. The prepared thin films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–Vis–NIR) spectra. While the optical band increases from 3.62 to 3.73 for TiO2 thin films, it decreases from 2.20 to 1.55 for CdO thin films with increasing Au doping concentration. Analysis of XRD indicates that the intensities of peaks of the crystalline phase have increased with the increasing Au NP concentrations in all thin films. SEM images demonstrate that the surface morphologies of the samples were affected by the incorporation of Au NPs. Consequently, the most significant results of the present study are that the Au NPs can be used to modify the optical, structural and morphological properties of TiO2 and CdO thin films.