We present the growth of nickel oxide (NiO) thin films as a hole transport material in photovoltaic devices using e-beam evaporation technique. Such metal oxide layers were reactively deposited at 200 C substrate temperature using an electron beam evaporator under an oxygen atmosphere. The reactively grown oxide films through electron-beam evaporation have been optimized for carrier transport layers. Optical and structural characterizations were performed using UV–Vis spectrometry, X-ray diffraction technique, contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy, hall-effect measurements. The study of these films confirms that NiO layer is a suitable candidate to be used as a hole transport layer based on hall effect measurements. Morphological study using field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed compact, uniform, and defect-free metal oxide layers growth. Contact angle measurements revealed that the films possessed semi-hydrophilic properties, contributing to improved stability by repelling water from their surfaces. The stoichiometry of the films was influenced by the oxygen pressure during deposition, which affected both their morphological and optical features. NiO films exhibited a transmittance exceeding 80% in the visible spectrum. These findings highlight the potential applications of such nickel oxide films as hole transport material layers.