Structural and optical properties of furfurylidenemalononitrile thin films

Department of Physics, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Roxy, 11757 Cairo, Egypt

^a e-mail: hend2061@yahoo.com

Received: 10 May 2012
Revised: 15 December 2012
Accepted: 8 January 2013
Published online: 5 March 2013

Abstract

Thin films of furfurylidenemalononitrile (FMN) were deposited on different substrates at room temperature by thermal evaporation technique under a high vacuum. The structure of the powder was confirmed by Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) technique. The unit cell dimensions were determined from X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The optical properties were investigated using spectrophotometric measurements of the transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence of light in the wavelength range from 200 to 2500 nm. The refractive index (n), the absorption index (k) and the absorption coefficient (α) were calculated. The analysis of the spectral behavior of the absorption coefficient in the absorption region revealed an indirect allowed transition. The refractive index dispersion was analyzed using the single oscillator model. Some dispersion parameters were estimated. Complex dielectric function and optical conductivity were determined. The influence of the irradiation with high-energy X-rays (6 MeV) on the studied properties was also investigated.