2025/12/12 by Hunter D. Ellis, Ellis, Hunter, Bobby G. Duersch +11
Engineering · Materials Science · #Copper-based nanomaterials and applications #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Thin-Film Transistor Technologies #Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.12020
openalex publication_date 2025/12/12 · openalex created_date 2025/12/17 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
NiO is a promising p-type material for photovoltaics and power electronics, but its temperature limits remain unclear. Using in situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) from 30 to 1100 C, we track the structural evolution of NiO thin films in air. The film crystallizes from an amorphous phase to cubic NiO between 300 and 400 C, where the emergence and growth of the (111) diffraction peak correlate with an increase in electrical resistivity. Further increases in temperature lead to improved crystallinity and higher resistivity. At 1100 C, the formation of Ni2O3 is observed, resulting in a highly resistive film. This study establishes a clear correlation between phase evolution, crystallinity, and resistive behavior in NiO thin films.