Characteristics of the structure, composition and properties of electrodeposited zinc selenide films

Abstract

The actuality of new processes for zinc selenide (ZnSe) films manufacture is explained by good prospects of their potential applications in optoelectronics. However, the films obtained on cathode by means of electrolysis in aqueous solutions have some distinctive properties and hence require a detailed study of structure, composition and properties thereof. Transmission electron microscopy examination of electrodeposited zinc selenide films has revealed that those are inhomogeneous in composition and structure: the fine-grained film body is formed by ZnSe nanocrystallites of cubic zinc blende structure and clusters of larger Zn(ОН)₂ microcrystals are included into the body. The film surfaces are coated by amorphous sublayer consisting of Se, Se0₂ and OSe(ОН)₂. According to electriсаl studies, such electrodeposited films are n-type semiconductors.