SEMICONDUCTOR THIN-FILMS BY CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITION FOR SOLAR-ENERGYRELATED APPLICATIONS

In this paper we present the basic concepts underlying the chemical ba th deposition technique and the recipes developed in our laboratory du ring the past ten pears for the deposition of good-quality thin films of CdS, CdSe, ZnS, ZnSe, PbS, SnS, Bi2S3, Bi2Se3, Sb2S3, CuS, CuSe, et c. Typical growth curves, and optical and electrical properties of the se films are presented. The effect of annealing the films in air on th eir structure and composition and on the electrical properties is nota ble: CdS and ZnS films become conductive through a partial conversion to oxide phase; CdSe becomes photosensitive, SnS converts to SnO2, etc . The use of precipitates formed during deposition for screen printing and sintering, in polymer composites and as a source for vapor-phase deposition is presented. Some examples of the application of the films in solar energy related work are presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.