Optical and electronic properties of layer-by-layer and composite polyaniline-cadmium selenide quantum dot films

Two organic-inorganic hybrid films of intrinsically conducting polymer; polyaniline and cadmium selenide quantum dots were prepared. One by layer-by-layer deposition of polyaniline and cadmium selenide films on PEDOT-PSS/ITO coated glass substrate (ITO/PEDOT-PSS/PANI/CdSe) and other by depositing polyaniline-cadmium selenide quantum dots composite film on the same substrate (ITO/PEDOT-PSS/PANI-CdSe) using spin coating technique. Pure polyaniline, cadmium selenide quantum dots and their composites thus obtained were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV/VIS/NIR absorption spectroscopy. The surface morphologies were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The diode performance parameters were compared and contrasted for the two devices obtained by different deposition routes. J-V characteristics of these devices showed a rectifying contact with Al metal, however with variation in performance parameters like barrier height, ideality factor and reverse saturation current the ITO/PEDOT-PSS/PANI-CdSe/Al device exhibited better diode performance as compared to ITO/PEDOT-PSS/PANI/CdSe/Al device.