CHEMICAL-BATH DEPOSITION OF ZNSE THIN-FILMS - PROCESS AND MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION

Chemical-bath deposition of ZnSe thin films from NH3/NH2-NH2/SeC(NH2)( 2)/Na2SO3/ZnSO4 solutions has been studied. The effect of various proc ess parameters on the growth and the film quality is presented. A firs t approach to a mechanistic interpretation of the chemical process, ba sed on the influence of the process parameters on the film growth rate , is reported. The structural, optical, chemical, and electrical prope rties of the ZnSe thin films deposited by this method have been studie d. The electron diffraction (EDS) analysis shows that the films are mi crocrystalline with mixed cubic and hexagonal structure. EDS analysis has demonstrated that the films are highly stoichiometric. Scanning el ectron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron sp ectroscoy studies of the ZnSe thin films deposited by this method show that the films are continuous and homogeneous. Optical measurements h ave allowed us to detect the presence of the spin-orbit splitting effe ct in this material. Electrical conductivity measurements have shown t he highly resistive nature of these films (rho approximate to 10(9) Oh m cm).