Dependence of Lead Sulfide Films Photoelectric Properties and Morphology on Precursor's Variations

Improvement of methods for controlling the parameters of lead chalcogenides photosensitive elements determines the efficiency of their practical application. In this regard, a study was conducted on the influence of various precursors (potassium dichromate and ammonium iodide) and their combinations on the photoelectric properties and morphology of lead sulfide (PbS) films deposited by chemical bath deposition from aqueous solutions. A significant influence of the precursor composition on both the absolute values and the shape of the photoconductivity relaxation curves of the samples were found. It is shown that the observed effects are associated with changes in the morphology of lead sulfide films, in particular with the formation of nanocrystals (with sizes less than 100 nm) and a corresponding change in the width of the forbidden band of the material.