Cd1−xZnxS thin films with low Zn content obtained by an ammonia-free chemical bath deposition process

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 548; pp. 270 - 274
• Main Authors: Carreón-Moncada, I., González, L.A., Pech-Canul, M.I., Ramírez-Bon, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 02.12.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Ammonia-free chemical bath deposition; Cadmium zinc sulfide; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Theory and models of film growth; Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Thin films; Cadmium zinc sulfide; Ammonia-free chemical bath deposition; Hydroxides; Chemical bath deposition; XRD; Thioureas; Precursor; Zinc sulfide; Energy gap; Optical properties; Thiourea; Crystal structure; Band structure; Electronic properties; Citrates; Surface morphology; Sodium chloride; Cadmium sulfide; Preferred orientation; Zinc; Ammonia; Hexagonal lattices; II-VI semiconductors; Growth mechanism; Microstructure
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.10.024

Cd1−xZnxS films with low Zn content were obtained on glass substrates by an ammonia-free chemical bath deposition process. Alkaline reaction solutions were prepared using cadmium chloride, zinc chloride, sodium citrate, thiourea and potassium hydroxide. As a result of varying the mixture ratio between Cd and Zn precursors, microstructural studies from X-ray diffraction reveal that the resulting films have hexagonal, wurzite type, crystalline structure with changes in the preferential growth orientation. Important changes on the surface morphology and thickness of the Cd1−xZnxS films were also observed as effects of adding Zn to the CdS lattice. Optical studies show that Cd1−xZnxS thin films with energy band gaps in the range from 2.48 to 2.65eV were obtained. •Cd1−xZnxS layers were grown on glass by ammonia-free chemical bath deposition•Films with low Zn content were obtained using reaction solutions with pH11.5•Zn addition produced changes on the orientation growth and morphology of the films•Cd1−xZnxS films have energy band gap values from 2.48 to 2.65eV