Nanocrystalline cadmium sulfoselenide thin films have been synthesized using a self-organized arrested precipitation technique with different deposition times using triethanolamine as a complexing agent. Optical, structural, morphological and photoelectrochemical solar cell properties were investigated as a function of deposition time. A UV-Vis-NIR absorption study suggested a direct allowed transition type and the band gap energy decreased from 2.01 to 1.86 eV with the increase in deposition time. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the thin films are nanocrystalline by nature with a pure hexagonal crystal structure and a calculated crystallite size of 51-68 nm. Field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the surface morphology was altered from nanoflakes to assorted nanoflakes-nanospheres and finally to a nanocoral-like morphology. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that the composition of the Cd(SSe) thin films was of good stoichiometry. Electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power measurements confirmed that the deposited films were n-type semiconductors. From J-V measurements, a highest photo-conversion efficiency of 0.57% was achieved.The significant boost in the PEC performance might be due to the improved crystallinity along with lower values of the grain boundary resistance, dislocation density and the microstrain of the Cd(SSe) thin films.

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Molybdenum oxide (MoO3) mixed tungsten oxide (WO3) thin films have been prepared by hybrid physico‐chemical synthesis involving microwave assisted sol‐gel synthesis (MW‐SGS) of WO3 followed by vacuum evaporation of MoO3 on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates. The optostructural and morphological properties of WO3 thin films with different thickness of MoO3 layer were investigated and studied for enhanced electrochromic coloration. The electrochromic performance of these samples was studied in LiClO4/PC as electrolyte for Li+ insertion/extraction. Colorimetric analysis was done to define the colors in the bleached and colored states in terms of Lab* values and xy chromaticity diagram. Enhancement in electrochromic properties in terms of optical modulation (ΔOD), coloration efficiency (CE) and switching time (tb and tc) was studied and reported.

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