Polycrystalline ZnS(x)Se(1 - x) thin films deposited on ITO glass by MBE

MBE growth of ZnS(x)Se(1 - x) thin films on ITO coated glass substrates were carried out using ZnS and Se sources with the substrate temperature ranging from 270 degrees C to 330 degrees C . The XRD theta/2theta spectra resulted from these films indicated that the as-grown polycrystalline ZnS(x)Se(1 - x) thin films had a preferred orientation along the (111) planes. The evaluated crystal sizes as deduced from the FWHM of the XRD layer peaks showed strong growth temperature dependence, with the optimized temperature being about 290 degrees C. Both AFM and TEM measurements of these thin films also indicated a similar growth temperature dependence. High quality ZnS(x)Se(1 - x) thin film grown at the optimized temperature had the smoothest surface with lowest RMS value of 1.2 nm and TEM cross-sectional micrograph showing a well defined columnar structure.