ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF ZNS FILMS GROWN ON (100)GAAS BY THE SUCCESSIVE IONIC LAYER ADSORPTION AND REACTION METHOD

In this study zinc sulfide thin films were grown by the successive ion ic layer adsorption anal reaction (SILAR) technique on (100) GaAs subs trates from aqueous precursor solutions. The atomic force microscopy ( AFM) method was used to study the growth of the films up to a thicknes s of 180 nm. The ZnS thin films on (100) GaAs were smooth with an rms roughness of 0.2-1.9 nm depending on the film thickness. After the GaA s surface was covered with ZnS, the growth appeared to be nearly layer wise. In addition, in situ AFM studies were carried out to analyze the dissolution of (100) GaAs in water, which is a process competing with the thin film deposition by the SILAR.