Chemical vapour deposition of chromium-doped tungsten disulphide thin films on glass and steel substrates from molecular precursors

Abstract

Polycrystalline thin films of chromium doped tungsten disulphide (WS2) have been deposited onto glass and steel substrates by Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition (AACVD) at 450 °C.

Molecular Precursor Route to Bournonite (CuPbSbS3) Thin Films and Powders

“…In addition, the Pb­(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 2 complex exhibited complete decomposition around 355 °C with a weight loss of 38% and a theoretical value of 47%. The small difference between the experimental and theoretical values is due to the poor volatility of residues in some transition-metal dithiocarbamate precursors. , Finally, the decomposition of the Sb­(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 3 complex occurred in two minor steps (10, 8%) and one major step (51%), with a total weight loss of 31%, which is close to the theoretical value of 30%, consistent with formation of Sb 2 S 3 . We also note that Sb 2 S 3 is volatilized with the increase in temperature above 580 °C, probably due to loss of sulfur as the step is slow and steady as a function of temperature.…”

Dithiocarbamate Complexes as Single Source Precursors to Nanoscale Binary, Ternary and Quaternary Metal Sulfides

“…Concurrently, Lewis and coworkers developed this process, showing that decomposition of mixtures of [WS(S 2 )(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 2 ] and [Cr(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 3 ] provides a convenient route to a range of chromium-doped WS 2 thin films, with up to 15% chromium incorporation. 67 Similarly, mixtures of [WS(S 2 )(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 2 ] and [Mo-(S 2 CNEt 2 ) 4 ] afford thin films of formula Mo 1−x W x S 2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). 117 Clearly, this is a relatively untapped field that is ripe for further development.…”

Scalable and Universal Route for the Deposition of Binary, Ternary, and Quaternary Metal Sulfide Materials from Molecular Precursors

“…The WS 2 film deposited by air spray annealing method also show sheetlike morphology whilst films deposited by AACVD onto glass substrates show floret-like morphology. 20 The morphology of MnS film shows the aggregation of small particles leads to bulk particles, which may be due to the formation of a large number of small nuclei prior to crystallization of the final material. 52 Iron sulfide films exhibit small hexagonal platelike crystallites agglomerated together into clusters.…”

“…Metal chalcogenides constitute an important family of medium to narrow band gap semiconductors. Much attention has been given to the synthesis of binary metal chalcogenides, such as FeS, CdS, CoS, ZnS, SnS, PbS, NiS, MnS, Ag 2 S, Cu 2 S, In 3 S 2 , Bi 2 S 3 , Ga 2 S 3 , Sb 2 S 3 , WS 2 , and MoS 2 for applications in optoelectronics, − photovoltaics, − piezoelectronics, thermoelectronics, − and, for the layered metal chalcogenides, as solid lubricants in mechanical systems. − Furthermore, many ternary and quaternary metal sulfides, for example, copper iron sulfide (CuFeS 2 , CFS) and copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS, Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 ), are used as absorber layers in thin film photovoltaic devices because of their photoelectric characteristics, which are suitable for potentially inexpensive and sustainable solar energy generation. − Various methods have been used for the deposition of metal chalcogenide thin films, such as chemical vapor deposition, electrodeposition, anodization, successive ionic adsorption and reaction (SILAR), electroconversion, chemical bath deposition, and solution–gas interface techniques. − Among those techniques, spray deposition is potentially a very simple and cost-effective technique for the deposition of metal sulfide films for large and complex surfaces.…”