Mixed thin film oxides of different composition of copper and zinc wer
e prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique. They were characterized b
y X-ray diffraction, transmission, and reflectance spectroscopy and el
ectrical resistivity measurements. Structural analysis showed that a s
olid solution thin film of the composition (CuO)(1-x) (ZnO)(x )with x
less than or equal to 0.1 is formed. At x greater than or equal to 0.1
5-0.20 hexagonal transparent crystallites of ZnO is formed between bla
ck CuO grains. Covalent shortening is a possible reason for the decrea
se of the volume of the unit cell of composition with x less than or e
qual to 0.1. The changes of preferred orientation of the crystallites
from (020) to (002) for films of composition ZnO greater than or equal
to 0.15 affect greatly the film thickness. The variation of resistivi
ty with increasing ZnO content in the film is attributed to the compen
sation effect between p-type CuO and n-type ZnO. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci
ence S.A.