LAUSR

Abstract In this paper, Cu doped CdS thin films were prepared on FTO substrates by RF magnetron sputtering and then were annealed at 350 °C–425 °C in vacuum for 20 min. The influences of different Cu-doped concentrations (Cu 4.1, 5.4, 7.3, 9.1 at%) on morphological, structural, optical properties and photo-electrochemical (PEC) properties of CdS thin films were investigated. The PEC characterizations indicated that the photocurrent densities of CdS:Cu (Cu 4.1, 5.4, 7.3, 9.1 at%) thin films increased from 0.94, 1.28,1.86,1.91 mA cm−2 to 1.33, 1.89, 2.40, 3.16 mA cm−2 after annealing. And the PEC properties of CdS:Cu thin films annealed at different temperatures were also studied. FTO/annealed CdS:Cu/Pt photoanode were fabricated to enhance the photocurrent activity and the photocurrent density of FTO/annealed CdS:Cu/5 nm Pt is 1.5 times larger than that of the CdS:Cu electrode without Pt cocatalyst.