Prognostication of chemical deposition conditions and morphology of nanostructured zinc sulfide films

Abstract

Ionic equilibria in the systems Zn2+–C6H5O73– and Zn2+–NH3–OH–were analyzed and boundary conditions and formation regions of ZnS and accompanying impurity phases Zn(OH)2 and ZnCN2 were determined. The hydrochemical method was used to synthesize nanocrystalline zinc sulfide films with thicknesses of 200–240 nm. The scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the influence exerted by complexing agents, nature of a zinc salt, substrate material, and process temperature on the microstructure and morphology of the ZnS layers synthesized. The nanostructured ZnS films have a B3 cubic structure (sphalerite type, space group F433333333–m).