X-ray photoelectron and Hall studies on nanostructured thin films of PbS grown by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Thin films of PbS were grown on (0 1 2) LaAlO3 by pulsed laser deposition and the deposition parameters were optimized. Films deposited at 553 K under the in-situ argon pressure of 10−1 mbar were granular having an average crystallite size of 25 nm with a texturing along (2 0 0) direction. Pb 4f and S 2p levels of PbS reveal Lead in +2 and Sulphur in −2 state and there was no evidence for oxygen contamination. Hall results revealed p-type conductivity with the carrier concentration of about 1011 cm−3 and a four-probe conductivity of 2 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−1 at room temperature. The use of PLD for growing thin films of a non-oxide based material is demonstrated.