Influence of pH Value on the Phases, Morphologies and Optical Properties of Sm₂S₃ Thin Films

Abstract:

Sm₂S₃ thin films were prepared on Si (100) substrates by liquid phase self–assemble method. The influences of solution pH value on the phases, surface morphologies and optical properties of the as deposited films were investigated. The as–deposited Sm₂S₃ thin films were characterized by X–ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis). Results indicate that Sm₂S₃ thin film with oriented growth along (105) direction can be obtained at pH value of 3.0, deposition temperature of 80 °C, following deposition for 24 h. The grain sizes of the Sm₂S₃ first increase and then decrease with increasing pH value. The as–deposited thin films exhibit a dense and crystallinized surface morphology. The film shows good transmittance in visible spectrum and excellent absorbency of ultraviolet light, and the bandgap of the thin films at pH of 3.0 is calculated to be 4.06 eV.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volumes 512-515)
• Pages: 368-371
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.512-515.368
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Yan Chao Hou, Jian Feng Huang, Li Yun Cao, Jian Peng Wu
• Keywords: Liquid Phase Deposition (LPD), Self-Assemble, Sm₂S₃, Thin Film

References

[1] V.V. Sokolov, A.A. Kamarzin, L.N. Trushnikova, M.V. Savelyeva, Optical Materials Containing Rare Earth Ln2S3 Sulfides, J. Alloys Compd. 225 (1995) 567-570.

DOI: 10.1016/0925-8388(94)07063-6

[2] S. B. Jundale and C. D. Lokhande, (Photo)electrochemical studies on p-Sm2S3 films, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells. 28 (1992) 151-157.

DOI: 10.1016/0927-0248(92)90007-c

[3] O.V. Andreev, A. S. Vysokikh, V. G. Vaulin, Sm2S3-Sm2O3 Phase Diagram, J. Inorg. Chem. 53 (2008) 1320-1324.

DOI: 10.1134/s0036023608080299

[4] M. Ohta, H. B. Yuan, S. Hirai, Y. Uemura, K. Shimakage, Preparation of R2S3(R: La, Pr, Nd, Sm) powders by sulfurization of oxide powders using CS2 gas, J. Alloys Compd. 374 (2004) 112-115.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2003.11.081

[5] M. Ohta, S. Hirai, S. Morita, T. Nishimura, Y. Uemura, Phase transformation from tetragonal-phase to cubic-phase due to addition of titanium in lanthanum sesquisulfide, J. Alloys Compd. 374 (2004) 116-119.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2003.11.082

[6] M. Ohta, S. Hirai, Z.C. Ma, T. Nishimura, Phase Transformation and Microstructures of Ln2S3 (Ln=La, Sm) with Different Impurities Content of Oxygen and Carbon, J. Alloys Compd. 408–412 (2006) 551-555.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2004.12.071

[7] S. Ebisu, H. Omote, and S. Nagata, Drastic change of the electrical resistivity related to the novel magnetic phase transition in α-Sm2S3, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. (IOP Science, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2009) 092005.

DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/200/9/092005

[8] G.Q. Tan, Y.Q. Zheng, H.Y. Miao, H.Y. Bo, A. Xia, Preparation of BiFeO3 Thin Film by the Liquid Phase Deposition (LPD) Method on Functionalized Organic Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs), Mater. Lett. 64 (2010) 657-660.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2009.12.023

[9] Y.F. Gao, K. Koumoto, Bio-inspired ceramic thin film processing: present status and future perspectives. Cryst. Growth Des. 5 (2005) 1983-2017.

DOI: 10.1021/cg049624x

[10] G. Mani, D. M. Johnson, D. Marton, M.D. Feldman, D. Patel, Drug delivery from gold and titanium surfaces using self-assembled monolayers, Biomaterials 29 (2008) 4561-4573.

DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.08.014

[11] J. Y. Dai, J. J. Cheng, J. Jin, Z.G. Li, J. Kong, S. P. Bi, Room-temperature ionic liquid as a new solvent to prepare high-quality dodecandthiol self-assembled monolayers on polycrystalline gold, Electrochem. Commun. 10 (2008) 587-591.

DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2008.01.042