Bismuth(III) dialkyldithiophosphates: Facile single source precursors for the preparation of bismuth sulfide nanorods and bismuth phosphate thin films

Abstract

Abstract Two different phase pure materials (Bi 2 S 3 and Bi 2 P 4 O 13 ) have been prepared under different conditions using the same single source precursors. Solvothermal decomposition of the complexes, Bi{S 2 P(O R ) 2 } 3 [where, R =Methyl (Me) ( 1 ), Ethyl (Et) ( 2 ), n-Propyl (Pr n ) ( 3 ) and iso-Propyl (Pr i ) ( 4 )] in ethylene glycol gave orthorhombic bismuth sulfide nanorods, whereas aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) of the same precursors deposited monoclinic bismuth tetraphosphate (Bi 2 P 4 O 13 ) thin films on glass substrates. Surface study of the thin films using SEM illustrated the formation of variety of nanoscale morphologies (spherical-, wire-, pendent-, doughnut- and flower-like) at different temperatures. AFM studies were carried out to evaluate quality of the films in terms of uniformity and roughness. Thin films of average roughness as low as 1.4 nm were deposited using these precursors. Photoluminescence studies of Bi 2 P 4 O 13 thin films were also carried out.