Nanostructured CdS thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis method

Influence of solution pH on the structural and optical properties of CdS films deposited by conventional spray pyrolysis techniquewas studied. X-RayDiffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PLS), and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) methods were used for the characterization of the deposited films. PL spectrum of the film deposited from the solution with pH1⁄4 10.2 shows broad-band PL emission located at 460 nm (2.7 eV), which can be attributed to thequantumsize effect at grain sizesof<10 nm.Noshifts ofe1 and e2 due to the quantum size effect are observed in dielectric function spectra, what can be caused by low concentration of nano-sized (<10 nm) CdS grains. The change in the film properties with the pH of the solution was analyzed in terms of variation of grain sizes of the polycrystalline films.