Effect of iodine doping in the deposition solution and iodine vapor pressure in the sensitization treatment on the properties of PbSe films

Abstract. Effect of iodine-doping in the deposition solution and iodine vapor pressure during the sensitization process on the morphological, microstructural, electrical, and optical properties of PbSe films was studied. Undoped and iodine-doped PbSe films of polycrystalline particles were coated on thermally oxidized silicon substrates by chemical bath deposition. The PbSe films were oxidized at 380°C for 30 min and then iodinated at different iodine vapor pressures at 380°C for 5 min. When the iodine vapor pressure was below 20 Pa, PbSeO3 was the main phase formed on the surface of PbSe microcrystals for both undoped and iodine-doped films. As the iodine vapor pressure was increased above 20 Pa, Pb3I2O2 and PbI2 phases were formed in both types of films and PbSeO3 disappeared in the undoped film. Only the iodine-doped films showed photo response. The sheet resistance and IR signal-to-noise ratio had maximum values at the iodine vapor pressure of 17.5 Pa in the iodine-doped film. The x-ray diffraction spectra, scanning electron microscopy morphologies, and EDS analyses of the sensitized PbSe films show that the main role of iodine in the sensitization is helping solid-state sintering of PbSe microcrystals which may lead to redistribution of oxygen atoms in the effective atomic sites.