Abstract
In this study, the nanosized ZnS thin films that can be used for fabrication of blue light-emitting diodes, electro-optic modulators, and n-window layers of solar cells were grown by the solution growth technique (SGT), and their surface morphology and film thickness and grain size dependence on the growth conditions were examined. Based on these results, the quantum size effects of ZnS were systematically investigated. Governing factors related to the growth condition were the concentration of precursor solution, growth temperature, concentration of aq. ammonia, and growth duration. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the ZnS thin film obtained in this study had the cubic structure ($\beta$-ZnS). With decreasing growth temperature and decreasing concentration of precursor solution, the surface morphology of film was found to be improved. Also, the film thickness depends largely on the ammonia concentration. In particular, this is the first time that the surface morphology dependence of ZnS film grown by SGT on the ammonia concentration is reported. The energy band gaps of samples were determined from the optical transmittance values, and were shown to vary from 3.69 eV to 3.91 eV. These values were substantially higher than 3.65 eV of bulk ZnS. It was also shown that the quantum size effect of SGT grown ZnS is larger than that of the ZnS films grown by most other growth techniques.
