Formation of CdxPb1−xS/Cd1-δS Thin-film Two-phase Compositions by Chemical Bath Deposition: Composition, Structure, and Optical Properties

The possibility of forming thin-film two-phase compositions CdxPb1-xS/Cd1−δS using chemical bath deposition from aqueous media with adding various cadmium salts has been demonstrated. The crystal structure, chemical composition, morphology, and the band gap were studied by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, Auger and Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance measurements. The formation of a CdxPb1−xS/Cd1−δS substitutional solid solution phase in well-faceted crystallites on the substrate of an X-ray amorphous CdS phase was experimentally shown. The observed difference in the composition of the films deposited with adding different cadmium salts is the result of the effect of the nucleophilicity of the anionic component of these salts on the kinetics of thiourea decomposition. The results demonstrate the possibility of forming thin-film two-phase compositions or heterostructures on the base of cadmium and lead sulfides in one technological stage using chemical bath deposition, which can be important for the creation of solar cells. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature. The research was financially supported in part by 211 Program of the Government of the Russian Federation (No. 02.A03.21.0006), was carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Themes No. AAAA-A18-118020190112-8 (“Flux”), No. AAAA-A18-118020290104-2 (“Spin”), and No. AAAA-A19-119031890025-9) and in part supported by RFBR (projects No. 18-29-11051-mk, 20-48-660041-r-a).