Ag diffusion in ZnS thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis

ZnS thin films were deposited by spray pyrolysis method on glass substrates. Diffusion of Ag in ZnS thin films was performed in the temperature range 80–400 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The diffusion of Ag is determined with XRF, and the obtained concentration profile allows to calculate the diffusion coefficient. The temperature dependence of Ag diffusion coefficient is determined by the equation D = 8 × 10− 9 exp(− 0.10 eV / kT). It was found that the as-grown undoped high resistive n-type ZnS thin films were converted to the p-type upon Ag doping with a slight increase in resistivity only by rapid thermal annealing at 400 °C in N2 atmosphere. In addition, the band gap of the p-type film was decreased as compared with the undoped sample annealed under the same conditions. The results were attributed to the migration of Ag atoms in polycrystalline ZnS films by means of both along intergrain surfaces and intragrain accompanied by interaction with native point defect.