Effect of thickness on the optical properties of Gaas thin films

Effect of thickness on the optical and electrical properties of gallium arsenide (GaAs) thin films were studied. The films of different thicknesses were prepared by vacuum evaporation method (~10 -4 Pa) on glass substrates at a substrate temperature of 323 K. The film thickness was measured in situ by a frequency shift of quartz crystal. The thicknesses were 250, 300 and 500 nm. Absorption spectrum of this thin film had been recorded using UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer in the photon wavelength range of 300 - 2500 nm. The values of some important optical parameters of the studied films (absorption coefficient, optical band gap energy and refractive index; extinction co-efficient and real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant) were determined using these spectra. Transmittance peak was observed in the visible region of the solar spectrum. Here transmittance showed better result when thicknesses were being increased. The optical band gap energy was decreased by the increase of thickness. The refractive index increased by increasing thickness while extinction co-efficient and real and imaginary part of dielectric constant decreased. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbas.v37i1.15684 Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 37, No. 1, 83-91, 2013