Deposition of nanocrystalline CuS thin film from a single precursor: Structural, optical and electrical properties

Nanocrystalline CuS thin films were fabricated using a metal organic deposition technique taking Cu(SOCCH3)(2)Lut(2) as the precursor. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and Raman spectroscopic techniques were applied for characterization and found that the deposited CuS films were of 'covellite' phase with an average particle size of 18 nm. Optical measurements showed significant amount of blue shift in the band gap energy. Hall measurements of the films showed p-type conduction nature with a carrier concentration in the range 10(12)-10(13) cm(-3). (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.