RF magnetron sputtered WSe2 thin films on ITO: Growth, characterization and photocatalytic activity
Optical Materials, cilt.177, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 177
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.118178
- Dergi Adı: Optical Materials
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Characterization, Congo red, Photocatalytic degradation, RF magnetron sputtering, WSe2 thin film
- Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
In this study, a WSe2 thin film was deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering, and its structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties were systematically investigated. XRD and Raman analyses confirmed the formation of phase-pure, c-axis-oriented 2H–WSe2, while FE-SEM revealed a dense and uniform nanocrystalline film with a thickness of approximately 95 nm. XAFS measurements verified the presence of Se2− and W4+ chemical states, confirming stoichiometric WSe2 formation. Optical analyses demonstrated strong visible-near infrared absorption and characteristic excitonic photoluminescence behavior. The photocatalytic activity of the ITO/WSe2 heterostructure was evaluated through Congo Red (CR) degradation under UV light irradiation, achieving ~92% degradation efficiency within 120 min and following pseudo-first-order kinetics. The originality of this work lies in elucidating the role of the ITO/WSe2 heterointerface in enhancing charge separation and photocatalytic performance in sputter-deposited WSe2 thin films. These results provide insight into the potential of WSe2-based thin-film heterostructures for photocatalytic wastewater treatment applications.