Growth mechanism of CBD-In(OH)xSy thin films

The surface morphology of chemical-bath-deposited In(OH)(x)S(y) thin films has been studied by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. It has been found that the growth mechanism of these films is the so-called particle-by-particle or colloidal growth. Different surface morphologies have been obtained depending on deposition conditions (reactant concentrations, pH, and bath temperature! as a consequence of the variation in the nucleation rate. The In(x)(OH, O)(y) colloids, which are present in the bulk of the solution and on the substrate surface, have been found to play an important role in the growth mechanism since they promote the In(OH)(x)S(y) precipitation. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.