Compositionally tunable ternary Bi2(Se1−xTex)3 and (Bi1−ySby)2Te3 thin films via low pressure chemical vapour deposition

The inherently rapid ligand substitution kinetics associated with the novel and chemically compatible precursors, [MCl3(EnBu2)3] (M = Sb, Bi; E = Se, Te), enable CVD growth of ternary Bi2(Se1-xTex)3 and (Bi1-ySby)2Te3 thin films with very good compositional, structural and morphological control, for the first time. X-ray diffraction data follow Vegard’s law and Raman bands shift linearly with the atom substitutions, indicating very well-distributed solid solutions.