Structural and morphological data of RF-Sputtered BiVO4 thin films

Structural and morphological modulation of rf-sputtered BiVO4 thin films deposited using mechanochemical synthesis prepared BiVO4 nano-powders as sintered target are included in this data article. The crystalline nature of as-prepared films, namely amorphous and crystalline was acquired with time and temperature dependent in-situ high temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD), at a time interval of 1 h. Typical Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of annealed thin film of monoclinic BiVO4 structure is given. Furthermore, correlation between morphologies of various substrate temperature fabricated BiVO4 thin films are presented.


a b s t r a c t
Structural and morphological modulation of rf-sputtered BiVO 4 thin films deposited using mechanochemical synthesis prepared BiVO 4 nano-powders as sintered target are included in this data article. The crystalline nature of as-prepared films, namely amorphous and crystalline was acquired with time and temperature dependent in-situ high temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD), at a time interval of 1 h. Typical Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of annealed thin film of monoclinic BiVO 4 structure is given. Type of data

Data format
Analyzed.

Experimental factors
In-situ HT-XRD investigations under air atmosphere at variable temperatures.

Experimental features
Formation of visible light active monoclinic phase of BiVO 4 is realized.
Variations with substrate temperature show the notable changes in surface morphology.

Data accessibility
The data are provided with this article.

Value of the data
• Combination methods (mechanochemical and rf-sputtering) can be used to for thin film preparations. • Similar experimental parameters were adopted to prepare BiVO 4 thin films on silicon, borosilicate and glass substrate using rf-sputtering and HT-XRD data presented in Fig. S1 provide the formation of visible active narrow band gap (2.4 eV) monoclinic BiVO 4 structure on glass and silicon substrate. • The FE-SEM images provide a useful point that by changing substrate temperature one can tune the morphology of BiVO 4 thin films for desired applications. • The data is useful to design for structural and morphological dependent device application, including photocatalysis, photo-electrochemical, solar cell, transparent semiconductor fabrications.

Data
Pristine BiVO 4 was coated on silicon, borosilicate and glass substrates at various substrate temperature under inert (argon) atmosphere by rf-sputtering method with 50 W power onto a 3.3 cm BiVO 4 target diameter (mechanochemically prepared [1]). X-ray diffraction characterization was applied to clarify the crystalline nature of the as-deposited films. In-situ HT-XRD thermal treatment was applied to ensure the formation of monoclinic crystalline phase of BiVO 4 . So, the data set used in this data in brief article contains the structural (HT-XRD and FT-IR) data of the room temperature sputtered BiVO 4 films along with morphological features of various substrate temperature deposited films. Furthermore, the data furnished here are based on the additional experimental observation reported in our recent paper [2]. Graph on the chemical composition, structural changes and characteristics of BiVO 4 thin films are presented in Fig. S1. HT-X-ray diffraction patterns indicates that the as-deposited films are amorphous in nature at room temperature. The order of the crystallinity increases from amorphous to monoclinic phases of BiVO 4 with increasing the heating temperature (from RT to 410°C). Typical monoclinic crystalline nature of BiVO 4 are generated for thin film deposited on Si substrate at room temperature and annealed at 400°C (Fig. S2). Fig. S3 provides the morphological comparison of room temperature deposited films on glass and silicon substrates. Also, images showing the effect of substrate temperature on surface morphology of BiVO 4 films deposited on Si substrate was gathered and depicted in Fig. S4.

Experimental design, materials, and methods
The crystalline structure of the as-deposited thin films was characterized by PANalytical X-ray diffractometer with Cu Kα radiation (λ ¼ 0.15406 nm) equipped with the X'celerator detector and a HTK 1200 Anton Paar chamber. FT-IR measurements were performed by Nicolet 510 spectrometer. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was conducted using Carl Zeiss Auriga 60, nanotechnology system equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer at an accelerating voltage of 2 kV.