Structural and topographical studies of SILAR-grown highly oriented PbS thin films

Lead sulfide thin films were grown on soda lime glass by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied to study the structural and topographical development of the PbS thin films. Utilization of triethanolamine complexed lead acetate and thioacetamide as precursors resulted in polycrystalline cubic highly (100) oriented PbS thin films. According to XRD, the (100) orientation was detected in very early stages of the growth. The increase in X-ray peak intensity as well as the increase in surface roughness was rapid up to a nominal thickness of 75 nm. As the PbS thin film grew thicker the evolution of crystallinity and rms-roughness was much less pronounced. The result was a rough PbS thin film consisting of separate particles.