Chemical surface deposition of Cd(S,Se) films: influence of the starting cadmium-containing salt on microstructure and optical properties

Abstract

The influence of the nature of the initial cadmium-containing salt on the structure, microstructure, morphology and optical properties of semiconductor CdS and CdSe films, obtained by chemical surface deposition (CSD), was studied. Transmission and absorption optical spectra and the surface morphology of the films were investigated. The obtained films are characterized by the availability of a fundamental absorption edge, which is formed by direct interband optical transitions. The results of the study of the surface morphology by atomic force and scanning electron microscopy showed that the conglomerates on the surface coatings are CdS and CdSe particles with different stoichiometry than the film. The content of cadmium ions in the obtained coatings was determined by inversion voltammetry. The thickness of the semiconductor films was calculated from the mass of cadmium. The possibility of producing stable CdS and CdSe films, suitable for solar cells based on heterojunctions, was demonstrated. Semiconductor films / Chemical surface deposition / Structure and morphology of thin films / Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy