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Optical properties, microstructure, and multifractal analyses of ZnS thin films obtained by RF magnetron sputtering

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Abstract

The morphology, structure and optical properties of zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films prepared through radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering have been analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction, and multifractal analyses. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that all ZnS thin films show a single peak at around 29.6°, which has been ascribed to the (111) planes of sphalerite phase, indicating that the growth direction of the films is the [111] direction. UV–Vis–NIR transmittance spectra were used to determine the refractive index of the samples, their thickness, and their band gap energy, showing the optical and semiconductor properties a clear dependence of the film thickness. Finally, ZnS thin films were characterized and analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements and multifractal analyses for a complex and precise interpretation of the 3-D surface microtexture characteristics. The multifractal examinations of the samples revealed a particular distribution at the nanometric level associated with multifractal surface characteristics. These experimental results are corroborated, presented, and discussed together with the essential stereometric parameters of the thin films. The combination of the different experimental information and the comprehensive stereometric and multifractal analyses provide new and deeper insight into the ZnS thin films that would be exploited to develop novel micro-topography models.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran

    Reza Shakoury

  2. Vacuum Technology Research Group, ACECR, Sharif University Branch, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Arman, Khalil Sherafat, Maryam Salehi & Mohsen Mardani

  3. Development and Innovation Management (DMCDI), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, The Directorate of Research, Constantin Daicoviciu St., No. 15, 400020, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, Romania

    Ştefan Ţălu

  4. Department of Pure and Applied Physics, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, 495009, India

    Koushik Ghosh

  5. Department of Physics, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

    Sahar Rezaee

  6. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas (FCFM), Av. Universidad s/n, 66455, San Nicolás de Los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico

    Carlos Luna

  7. Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Fredrick Mwema

  8. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Nyeri, Kenya

    Fredrick Mwema

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  1. Reza Shakoury
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Correspondence to Sahar Rezaee.

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Shakoury, R., Arman, A., Ţălu, Ş. et al. Optical properties, microstructure, and multifractal analyses of ZnS thin films obtained by RF magnetron sputtering. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 5262–5273 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03086-3

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