Abstract
The facile and cost-effective fabrication of cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films with diverse contents of Zn was carried out on substrates of glass which maintained at 300 °C temperature. The grown CdS films are observed to belong monophasic hexagonal system at all Zn contents through structural and vibrational inspections. The values of crystallites size were determined in range of 16–31 nm. The Zn existence and its homogeneity were confirmed by EDX and e-mapping. SEM study displayed the modification in surface topography of CdS films by Zn content. Ultra violet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy study revealed that the grown films are of good optical transparency. The indices of refraction values were estimated and shows the variation in range of 1–2.8 owing to Zn. The PL study propose the applications of grown films in green LEDs as the emission peak has been observed at 513 ± 17 nm. Third-order-nonlinear optics (TONLO) constraints were determined through off and on orifice Z-scan data. The order of the values of TONLO index of refraction and susceptibility was noted of 10−8 cm2/W and 10−5 esu, orders correspondingly and found to be enhanced with Zn doping in CdS. Enhancement in optical limiting behaviour of CdS was also noticed when doped with Zn.
•Nanostructured Zn:CdS thin films were fabricated facilely by spray pyrolysis.•Films are found to be monophasic in nature with good crystallinity.•Zn homogeneous presence in CdS film was approved by e-mapping.•The n2 and β values are enhanced from 2.89 × 10−8 to 5.11 × 10−8 cm2/W and 1.17 × 10−6 to 4.66 × 10−6 cm/W with Zn content.•The χ3 values are enriched from 3.68 × 10−5 to 6.93 × 10−5 esu with Zn content.