Improved Morphological, Structural, and Optical Features of ErxCuNiO۳ {x= ۰, ۰.۵, ۰.۷, ۰.۹}

To synthesize ErCuNiO۳, a ۰.۱ M solution of copper nitrate trihydrate (Cu(NO۳)۲·۳H۲O), nickel (II) nitrate hexahydrate Ni(NO۳)۲·۶H۲O, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were used. The (۱۱۱) diffraction peak reveals the crystallization of the synthesized material. The presence of erbium in the CuNiO۳ lattice enhances the structure of the synthesized material, resulting in increased diffraction peaks. The synthesized ErCuNiO۳ reveals a cubic structure with diffraction peaks of (۱۱۱), (۱۰۱), (۱۰۴) (۱۱۲), (۲۱۱), (۲۲۲), and (۳۱۱) corresponding to ۲theta angle of ۲۶.۵۱۲o, ۳۰.۷۷۸o, ۳۲.۰۵۴o, ۳۳.۷۷۵o, ۳۷.۷۲۶o, ۴۳.۹۶۶o, and ۴۴.۹۸۹o, respectively. Introducing erbium into the lattice of the synthesized material results in an increase in the nanoparticle's size, increasing the surface area of the material. This increase in surface area enhances the material's photovoltaic activities. As the molar concentration of the material increases, the synthesized ErCuNiO۳ film exhibits a decrease in its indirect bandgap energy, which shifts from ۱.۵۰ eV to a range of ۱.۳۵-۱.۱۸ eV. The film exhibited a decrease in electrical conductivity, from ۹.۷۷ to ۵.۷۸ S/m, as its thickness increased from ۱۰۷.۰۰ to ۱۱۵.۳۵ nm, leading to an increase in resistivity from ۱۰.۲۳ to ۱۷.۳۵ ῼ.cm.