Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition of Lead Chalcogenide Thin Films from [Pb((SePiPr2)2N)(S2CNHexMe)]

Abstract

In this study, [Pb((SePiPr2)2N)(S2CNHexMe)], a novel complex, was synthesised by refluxing [Pb(S2CNHexMe)2] and [Pb((SePiPr2)2N)2] complexes for 2 hours in chloroform and precipitating with methanol. The microelemental analysis, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopies were performed on the complex and the melting point was determined. The crystal structure of this new compound has been determined. The structure showed a distorted square pyramidal geometry with 2 sulphur and 2 selenium atoms coordinating the central atom at the base of the pyramid and a lone pair occupying the axial position of the lead atom. The complex was used to deposit lead chalcogenide thin films by the aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) method at 300, 350, 400, and 450°C. The thin films matched with the powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) pattern for cubic PbSe with a (200) preferred orientation at all the deposition temperatures. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) indicated that cubic PbSe crystals were formed.