Electrochemical approaches for rearrangement of lead sulfide thin films prepared by SILAR method

Potentiostatic and potentiodynamic approaches have been performed for rearrangement of lead sulfide thin films prepared by a successive ionic layer adsorption and desorption technique on Au electrodes. Potentiostatic processes have been applied by potential-controlled electrolyses at −450 mV and potentiodynamic applications have been performed by cyclic voltammetry scanning potential between −800 and 50 mV on lead sulfide modified Au electrodes in pH 5.9 solution. These potential values have been determined by considering underpotential deposition of both lead and sulfur as a result of cyclic voltammetry experiments of lead sulfide modified Au working electrodes. Scanning electron microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction results show that electrochemical approaches cause a transformation from amorphous to polycrystalline structure for PbS thin films. UV–visible–near infrared spectroscopy investigation of the samples reveals that the optical properties of lead sulfide thin films are protected after electrochemical processes.