Preparation and Morphology of CdZnS Thin Films

Abstract

Thin films based on limited solid solutions of cadmium and zinc sulfides have been synthesized by a one-stage epitaxial layer-by-layer deposition from an ammonium-containing aqueous solution of cadmium and zinc chlorides and thiocarbamide on a glass substrate. The thickness control of sulfide layers was carried out by selection of reagent concentrations and the deposition conditions. The relationship between the synthesis conditions of CdxZn[Formula: see text]S thin films and the size of sulfide nanoparticles in these films is established. The films contain two phases: hexagonal (space group [Formula: see text]) phase with [Formula: see text] structure of wurtzite type and cubic (space group [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]) phase with [Formula: see text] structure of sphalerite type. It is shown that the CdxZn[Formula: see text]S film consists of separate [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm agglomerates which are a collection of smaller nanometer-sized particles. The dependence of the band gap of the synthesized films on their thickness is found.