Effect of AACVD Processing Parameters on the Growth of Greenockite (CdS) Thin Films using a Single‐Source Cadmium Precursor

Abstract

Greenockite (CdS) nanostructured thin films are deposited on soda and FTO conducting glass substrates by aerosol‐assisted (AA)CVD using a single‐source precursor bis‐(N,N‐dicylcohexyldithiocarbamato)(pyridine)cadmium(II), Cd[S2CNCy2]2.py (1), in pyridine, toluene, and THF solutions in the temperature range 350–450 °C. The precursor 1, characterized by physicochemical methods, undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 350 °C to give a stable residual mass of CdS. The thin films deposited from pyridine solution, and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV‐vis spectroscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) techniques, exhibit a band gap of 2.4 eV and a photocurrent density of 1.3 mA cm−2 at 0.4 V versus Ag/AgCl/3M KCl, suggesting their suitability for application in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells.

Solution based CVD of main group materials

“…11 In addition, several adducts of cadmium dithiocarbamate complexes were reported but their capabilities as precursors for CVD were not described. 37 The complex, [Cd(S 2 CNCy 2 ) 2 Ápy] was shown by single crystal X-ray diffraction to be monomeric with a distorted square pyramidal geometry around the Cd atom. However, they have also been found to meet all the necessary requirements of a precursor for the fabrication of thin films by AACVD.…”

Aluminium/gallium, indium/gallium, and aluminium/indium co-doped ZnO thin films deposited via aerosol assisted CVD

“…Hence, the sharp peaks of the AGZO film indicated high quality crystal growth, with relatively large crystallites. 68 This is ideal for TCO applications, as it will lead to a reduction of scattering at crystal defects, consequently resulting in improved carrier properties. 69 A reduction in crystallite size for the films synthesised with indium indicates that indium was hindering crystallite growth.…”

Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition of metal oxide thin films for photoelectrochemical water splitting

“…When solvents with distinct physical and chemical properties that can affect the aerosol generation and subsequent decomposition (enthalpy of combustion, density, and surface tension) are used as the deposition solvents, it is evident that abrupt changes take place in the target material texture [87]. Hence, controlling the texture of a target material in a systematic manner is not possible when deposition solvents with distinctly different physical and chemical properties are used.…”