CdS amorphous thin films photochemical synthesis and optical characterization

Thin amorphous nanostructured CdS films were photochemically obtained via direct UV radiation (λ=254 nm) of complex Cd[(CH3)2CHCH2CH2OCS2]2 on Si(1 0 0) and ITO-covered glass substrate by spin coating. Thin cadmium xanthate complex films’ UV photolysis results in loss of all ligands from the coordination sphere. X-ray photoelectron spectra for as-deposited CdS thin films show the most representative signals of Cd 3d5/2 located at 405 eV, Cd 3d3/2 located at 412 eV and a small signal S 2p located at 162 eV. The surface morphology of the films was examined via atomic force microscopy. This can be described as a fibrous-type surface without structural order, which is characteristic of an amorphous deposit. The optical band gap value was 2.85 and 3.15±0.1 eV.