Thickness dependence of microstructures and optical properties of Mn1.56Co0.96Ni0.48O4 thin films

Mn1.56Co0.96Ni0.48O4 (MCN) thin films with different thicknesses were synthesized on Si substrates by the chemical solution deposition method. Microstructures of the thin films were determined by atomic force microscopy The ion-by-ion growth mechanism was the main reason for the grain size increased with the increasing film thickness. The refractive indices and extinction coefficient of MCN thin films were determined by measuring elipsometry parameters and modeled through the Tauc-Lorent oscillator dispersion formula in the wavelength range of 280-850 nm. The optical constant n and k of MCN thin films were found to decrease with Increasing thickness due to the variations in microstructures.