Research Methodology-

Chemical Bath Deposition Technique:

Chemical bath deposition technique involves the controlled precipitation of a desired

compound from the solution on the suitable substrate. This technique offers many advantages
over the more suitable vapour phase routes to semiconducting thin film.[25]

In 1884,the first film using chemical bath deposition technique were prepared, and it was first
applied in the preparation of PbS and PBSe for long time [37]. After the successful deposition of
Cd, a vast range of chalcogenide and chalcopyrite materials have been prepared. The
advantages/significance of using this method over all other various methods are as follows;

 This technique is simplest and cost effective method.

 It is possible to deposit multi compound chalcogenide thin films over a wide range of
stoichiometry with this technique.
 Chemicals do not require high vacuum and it can be carried out even at room
temperature
 Large area deposition is possible by carefully lying down the substrate on a shallow
tray containing the deposition bath
 Produces uniform well adherent and reproducible thin films for photovoltaic
applications
 An inexpensive method for large scale industrial applications
 The material consumption is low and minimizes the loss
 The crystallite size of the CBD films is very small
 The CBD unit is safe to handle
 CBD is not a time consuming method if the proper reagents are used and the solution is
maintained at particular pH for long time.
 CBD unit is portable.[25]
Principle of CBD Technique

In this technique it is possible to control the film thickness and chemical composition by
varying the deposition parameters such as temperature, precursor concentration,
complexing agents used and the pH of the solution. The ability of this method to coat large
areas in a reproducible and low cost process is the most attractive advantage. This method
depends on the deposition of thin films from aqueous solutions either by passing a
current or by chemical reactions under appropriate conditions. By the nature of their
preparative conditions, these films are generally not of high purity[25]. With appropriate
control of the deposition parameters definite composition of thin films can be obtained. In
CBD process, thin films are deposited on a solid substrate when it is immersed into a dilute
solutions of one or more metal salts (MP+), a source of chalcogenide, X (X=S, Se, Te) ion and a
suitable complexing agent in an aqueous solution.
Using this method the metal chalcogenide films will form on the substrate via four
steps as follows
 Establishment of equilibrium between water and the complexing agent
 Formation of metal- complex species
 Hydrolysis of the chalcogenide source
 Formation of the solid film on the substrate
The deposition of the film occurs on the substrate when the value of ionic product
exceeds the solubility product, otherwise it is precipitated out. The metal ions are usually
complexed by a suitable complexing agent, which would then gradually release metal
ions during the course of reaction. The formation of metal-complex ion controls the rate
formation of solid metal hydroxides which leads to the formation of solid film. Thus, the
metal ion must be complexed in order to prevent precipitation of metal hydroxide. The
strength of the complexing agent should not be too weak or too strong in ordered to
prevent bulk precipitation or to deposition of the desired film. The basic principle of CBD
is to control the chemical reaction so as to effect the deposition of thin film by
precipitation. The process depends on the slow release of chalcogenide ion into an alkaline
solution in which the free metal ion is buffered at a low concentration.
The below figure shows the unit of chemical bath deposition technique. It consist of the holder
in which glass slides are fixed and allowed to rotate with the help of motor attached to it. The
substance to be deposited is mixed with the suitable components in the beaker with proper
complexing agent and the solution is maintained at proper pH (approximately it is maintained
at 10).The holder is rotated, with the glass slides dipped into it. Hence the solution is also
rotated (The speed of the holder is set at particular rpm) and when each time the particles in
the solution hit the glass slides the process of deposition starts at particular temperature. The
film if deposited on the glass substrate is tested by taking the glass slide and washing it
repeatedly till the confirmation.

Fig:
Shows the chemical bath deposition unit
Chemicals used :
 Zinc Accetate
 Thiorea
 Sodium hydroxide
 Ammonia
Work plan :
 We collect the required chemicals and prepare the desired film by chemical bath
deposition technique.
 We will determine the band gap of the prepared film by using UV spectrometer.
 The grain size will be determined by using scanning electron microscopy and the
accurate thickness of the film will be known by using the atomic force microscopy.
 The crystal structure of the prepared film will be determined by XRD (X-ray diffraction
pattern of the film).