Physical properties of nanostructured (PbS)x(CuS)1−x composite thin films grown by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method

Nanostructured ternary semiconducting (PbS)x(CuS)1−x thin films were grown on glass substrates by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique at room temperature. The structural, morphological and optical characterizations of the films were carried out by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV–Vis spectrophotometer respectively. The structural studies revealed that, (PbS)x(CuS)1−x films are nanocrystalline in nature and have mixed phase of cubic PbS and hexagonal CuS. The optical absorption measurements showed that band gap energy of (PbS)x(CuS)1−x can be engineered between 2.57 and 2.28 eV by varying compositional parameter ‘x’. The room temperature dc dark electrical resistivity of PbS film is found to be 28.85 Ωcm and it decreases when content of Cu in composite increases and becomes 0.05 Ωcm for pure CuS. The thermo-emf measurements showed that the as deposited (PbS)x(CuS)1−x films are of n-type. The water angle contact measurements of (PbS)x(CuS)1−x, revealed that, films are hydrophilic in nature and it could be advantageous in electrochemical application.