Structural Stability and Optical Band Gap Modification in V2O5 Thin Films via H2+ Ion Implantation

Bhatia K, Rajeshirke AP, Shirodkar S, Biswas S and Thakur A

Published on: 2025-01-10

Abstract

This study examines the structural and optical modifications in vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) thin films due to thermal annealing and hydrogen ion (H₂⁺) implantation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the orthorhombic phase remains intact following implantation at different fluences of 1×10¹², 1×10¹³, and 1×10¹⁴ ions/cm². The average grain size exhibits an increase to 63.2 nm at lower fluences, followed by a decrease to 18.1 nm at the highest fluence. This observation suggests a complex relationship between ion energy and grain growth dynamics. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicates peak broadening and a decrease in crystallinity as fluence increases, which suggests structural degradation. UV-Vis spectroscopy indicates a reduction in absorbance attributed to defect formation, accompanied by an increase in the optical band gap from 3.34 eV to 3.53 eV as fluences rise. The results indicate that controlled H₂⁺ implantation is an effective method for tailoring V₂O₅ thin films, making them suitable for optoelectronic and energy storage applications.