Abstract
Transition metal chalcogenide thin films of the type FexZrSe2 have applications in electronic devices, but their use is limited by current synthetic techniques. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis and characterization of Fe-intercalated ZrSe2 thin films on quartz substrates using the low-pressure chemical vapor deposition of the single-source precursor [Fe(η5-C5H4Se)2Zr(η5-C5H5)2]2. Powder X-ray diffraction of the film scraping and subsequent Rietveld refinement of the data showed the successful synthesis of the Fe0.14ZrSe2 phase, along with secondary phases of FeSe and ZrO2. Upon intercalation, a small optical band gap enhancement (Eg(direct)opt = 1.72 eV) is detected in comparison with that of the host material.
Highlights
Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) layered materials have attracted a great deal of interest due to their unique physical properties beyond those of graphene as they are generally non-toxic and abundant, have energy band gaps wellsuited for solar energy conversion and high absorption coefficients in the visible range.[1]
Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of organometallic precursors appears to be a suitable alternative due to its versatility toward the use of alternative air/moisture-sensitive precursors. This method allows growth of high-quality thin films from volatile, temperature-sensitive reagents and has been used extensively in the past decade for the synthesis of thin films of functional materials, many of them metal selenides.[32−34] In the present paper, we investigate the ability of single-source precursor [Fe(η5-C5H4Se)2Zr(η5-C5H5)2]2 (1) to successfully generate thin films of Fe-intercalated ZrSe2 (i.e., FexZrSe2) using a convenient single-step deposition process via LPCVD and record the optical band gap shift resultant from the intercalation
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the films showed that the surface morphology consisted of irregular quasi-spherical grains uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate (Figure 1b,c), in a similar way as previously reported for ZrSe2 thin films.[28]
Summary
Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) layered materials have attracted a great deal of interest due to their unique physical properties beyond those of graphene as they are generally non-toxic and abundant, have energy band gaps wellsuited for solar energy conversion and high absorption coefficients in the visible range.[1]. Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of organometallic precursors appears to be a suitable alternative due to its versatility toward the use of alternative air/moisture-sensitive precursors. This method allows growth of high-quality thin films from volatile, temperature-sensitive reagents and has been used extensively in the past decade for the synthesis of thin films of functional materials, many of them metal selenides.[32−34] In the present paper, we investigate the ability of single-source precursor [Fe(η5-C5H4Se)2Zr(η5-C5H5)2]2 (1) to successfully generate thin films of Fe-intercalated ZrSe2 (i.e., FexZrSe2) using a convenient single-step deposition process via LPCVD and record the optical band gap shift resultant from the intercalation
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