TY - JOUR
T1 - The Role of Counteranions in Solution Deposition of ZnS Thin Films on GaAs
AU - Zakay, Noy
AU - Rand, Shlomo
AU - Rashkovskiy, Alexander
AU - Maman, Nitzan
AU - Ezersky, Vladimir
AU - Golan, Yuval
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.
PY - 2024/12/23
Y1 - 2024/12/23
N2 - Using 5 commonly employed precursors for Zn2+ cations, ZnSO4, ZnI2, ZnCl2, Zn(NO3)2, and Zn(CH3COO)2, we demonstrate the effect of counterions on ZnS thin film formation. We show that both film nucleation and growth stages are strongly dependent on the Zn2+ precursor type. We systematically studied the mechanisms of thin film deposition on GaAs(100), including solution-substrate interactions, Zn2+ ion adsorption on the substrate, and nuclei formation as well as stress accumulation during film growth. It was shown that the early stages of film formation play a key role in the subsequent growth kinetics and resulting film quality. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, supported by contact angle measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy showed that increasing the degree of surface oxidation and passivation at the early stages of ZnS film formation inhibits solution desorption. Finally, the previously reported mechanism of crack formation is explored through an interrupted growth series of ZnS films deposited from solutions with different Zn2+ precursors.
AB - Using 5 commonly employed precursors for Zn2+ cations, ZnSO4, ZnI2, ZnCl2, Zn(NO3)2, and Zn(CH3COO)2, we demonstrate the effect of counterions on ZnS thin film formation. We show that both film nucleation and growth stages are strongly dependent on the Zn2+ precursor type. We systematically studied the mechanisms of thin film deposition on GaAs(100), including solution-substrate interactions, Zn2+ ion adsorption on the substrate, and nuclei formation as well as stress accumulation during film growth. It was shown that the early stages of film formation play a key role in the subsequent growth kinetics and resulting film quality. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, supported by contact angle measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy showed that increasing the degree of surface oxidation and passivation at the early stages of ZnS film formation inhibits solution desorption. Finally, the previously reported mechanism of crack formation is explored through an interrupted growth series of ZnS films deposited from solutions with different Zn2+ precursors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85212795933&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c03424
DO - 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c03424
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85212795933
SN - 0020-1669
VL - 63
SP - 24104
EP - 24114
JO - Inorganic Chemistry
JF - Inorganic Chemistry
IS - 51
ER -