Cuprous oxide thin films grown by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

•Cu2O thin films were grown on Cu and glass substrates.•Conventional and hydrothermal electrochemical deposition techniques were used.•Hydrothermal electrochemical growth showed improved morphology, thickness and optical band gap.

Semiconducting cuprous oxide films were grown by a hydrothermal electro-deposition technique on metal (Cu) and glass (ITO) substrates between 60 °C and 100 °C. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the formation of cubic cuprous oxide films in different preferred orientations depending upon the deposition technique used. Film growth, uniformity, grain size, optical band gap and photoelectrochemical response were found to improve in the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique.