Improvement of photocatalytic performance and sensitive ultraviolet photodetectors using AC-ZnO/ZC-Ag₂O/AZ-CuO multilayers nanocomposite prepared by spin coating method

Morphological and optical properties of a multilayer film (CAZO/CZAO/ZACO) prepared by spin-coating method and deposited on a glass substrate were evaluated. The study was initially carried out for each layer, individually and then as a multilayer subsequently. Structural properties using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), infrared spectra (IR) and X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) showed the presence of three phases of zinc, copper and silver oxides at different levels. The CZAO sample observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed an excellent porous surface with a large deformation in the multilayer configuration. Doping with zinc and copper in the silver crystal lattice improved the crystal structure and reduced the optical energy gap, thus increasing the optical absorbance and refractive index. The dielectric constants ε_r and ε_i showed an increase in the optical polarization values for lower photonic energies. The maximum degradation rate for photocatalysts of methylene blue was 89 % for a 5-h exposure period with CAZO/CZAO/ZACO while it reached 71 % for the CZAO sample during the same time period. The sensitivity of samples to light proved that the presence of ultraviolet radiation increases the number of holes trapped by oxygen ions and causes more free electrons and contribute to a better production of photocurrent than in darkness.