Multiphonon hopping of carriers in CuO thin films

We have performed a detailed study of the electrical conduction process in CuO thin films deposited by the sol–gel dip coating technique in a temperature range 280–420 K. The electrical conduction is analyzed within the framework of various hopping conduction models. Multiphonon hopping conduction mechanism is found to dominate the electrical transport in the entire temperature region. Our results are consistent with this model of hopping conduction mechanisms with weak carrier–lattice coupling.