Preparation of Sb₂S₃ film on functional organic self-assembled monolayers by chemical bath deposition

In this work, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) were applied to induce the nucleation and growth of the antimony sulfide (Sb₂S₃) films on the functional ITO glass substrate at low temperature. The structure, morphology, and optical properties of the Sb₂S₃ films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and UV–vis spectroscopy. After thermal treatment at 200 °C for 1 h in air, the orthorhombic Sb₂S₃ was formed as a predominant phase in the deposited thin films. When the deposited films were thermally treated at 400 °C for 1 h in air, the orthorhombic Sb₂S₃ was decomposed and a cubic Sb₂O₃ was formed. The optical band energies of the as-deposited and thermally treated Sb₂S₃ films at 200 °C for 1 h in air and nitrogen were found to be 2.05 eV, 1.77, and 1.76 eV, respectively. As chemical templates, the OTS-functionalized SAMs played an important role in controlling the nucleation and growth of Sb₂S₃ films at low temperature. The results obtained from different preparation parameters applied in the present work will allow controlling the growth of the Sb₂S₃ films with uniform surface.