Nanostructured CuO film grown from solution by preferential microwave heating of the conducting glass substrate

Nanostructured Cu(II) oxide receives significant attention because of its possible applications. Very well adhered CuO films have been grown on conducting glass substrates using microwave-activated chemical bath deposition, at low temperature and in a short time. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy show that only the CuO tenorite phase is present. Scanning electron microscopy reveals a peculiar nanostructured morphology: nanowires or nanobranches that have fallen on the substrate after growing into the precursor solution, perpendicular to it. A gap value, E_g = 1.52 eV, is obtained from the diffused reflectance spectrum. Film characteristics are of interest for some applications, particularly, solar radiation harvesting.