Tungsten disulfide thin films via electrodeposition from a single source precursor

We report a simple process for the electrodeposition of tungsten disulfide thin films from a CH₂Cl₂-based electrolyte using a tailored single source precursor, [NEt₄]₂[WS₂Cl₄]. This new precursor incorporates the 1 : 2 W : S ratio required for formation of WS₂, and eliminates the need for an additional proton source in the electrolyte to remove excess sulfide. The electrochemical behaviour of [NEt₄]₂[WS₂Cl₄] is studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance techniques, and the WS₂ thin films are grown by potentiostatic electrodeposition.