Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of GaxS1−x thin films: structural and optical properties

  • Published:
Optical and Quantum Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gallium sulfides are wide-gap materials (band gap in the range of 2.85–3.05 eV) that have great potential for applications in optoelectronics, photovoltaics, nonlinear optics, and energy storage. In this study, thin films of gallium sulfide GaxS1−x were prepared for the first time by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a transport reaction involving chlorine. High-purity elemental gallium and sulfur were directly used as starting materials. The non-equilibrium low-temperature plasma of the RF discharge (40.68 MHz) initiated chemical transformations. The effect of plasma power on the composition, structure, surface morphology, and optical properties of the films was studied. GaxS1−x films have sufficiently high transparency in the visible and near-IR ranges (up to 70%).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data underlying the results presented in this paper are not publicly available at this time but may be obtained from the authors upon reasonable request.

References

  • Ahamad, T., Alshehri, S.M.: Green synthesis and characterization of gallium(III) sulphide (α-Ga2S3) nanoparicles at room temperature. Nano Hybrids 6, 37–46 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alderhami, S.A., Collison, D., Lewis, D.J., McNaughter, P.D., O’Brien, P., Spencer, B.F., Vitorica-Yrezabal, I., Whitehead, G.: Accessing γ-Ga2S3 by solventless thermolysis of gallium xanthates: a low-temperature limit for crystalline products. Dalton Trans. 48(41), 15605–15612 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alsaif, M.M.Y.A., Pillai, N., Kuriakose, S., Walia, S., Jannat, A., Xu, K., Alkathiri, T., Mohiuddin, M., Daeneke, T., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Ou, J.Z., Zavabeti, A.: Atomically thin Ga2S3 from skin of liquid metals for electrical, optical, and sensing applications. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2, 4665–4672 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, X., Hou, X., Cao, X., Ding, X., Chen, L., Zhao, G., Wang, X.: Gallium sulfide thin film grown on GaAs(1 0 0) by microwave glow discharge. J. Cryst. Growth 173(1–2), 51–56 (1997)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cingolani, A., Minafra, A., Tantalo, P., Paorici, C.: Edge emission in GaSe and GaS. Phys. Status Solidi 4(1), K83–K85 (1971)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cuculescu, E., Evtodiev, I., Caraman, M., Rusu, M.: Optical and photoelectrical properties of GaS and CdTe thin FILMS, components of GaS/CdTe heterojunctions. J. Optoelectron. Adv. Mater. 8(3), 1077–1081 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriguchi, K., Biaou, C., Das, S., Yu, K.M., Wu, J., Dubon, O.D.: Temperature-dependent growth of hexagonal and monoclinic gallium sulfide films by pulsed-laser deposition. AIP Adv. 10(10), 1–5 (2020)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ertap, H., Baydar, T., Yüksek, M., Karabulut, M.: Structural and optical properties of gallium sulfide thin film. Turk. J. Phys. 40, 297–303 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutiérrez, Y., Giangregorio, M.M., Dicorato, S., Palumbo, F., Losurdo, M.: Exploring the thickness-dependence of the properties of layered gallium sulfide. Front. Chem. 9, 1–8 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, C.-H., Chen, H.-H.: Optically decomposed near-band-edge structure and excitonic transitions in Ga2S3. Sci. Rep. 4(1), 1–12 (2014)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Horley, G.A., Lazell, M.R., O’Brien, P.: Deposition of thin films of gallium sulfide from a novel liquid single-source precursor, Ga(SOCNEt2)3, by aerosol-assisted CVD. Chem. Vap. Depos. 5(5), 203–205 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Z.M., Fei, G.T., De Zhang, L.: Synthesis and tunable emission of Ga2S3 quantum dots. Mater. Lett. 239, 17–20 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, Z., Huang, J.-G., Kokh, K.A., Svetlichnyi, V.A., Shabalina, A.V., Andreev, Y.M., Lanskii, G.V.: Ga2S3: optical properties and perspectives for THz applications. In: 2015 40th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz). pp. 1–2. IEEE (2015)

  • Isik, M., Gasanly, N.M., Gasanova, L.: Spectroscopic ellipsometry investigation of optical properties of β-Ga2S3 single crystals. Opt. Mater. 86, 95–99 (2018)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, A.C., O’Brien, P.: CVD of Compound Semiconductors. Wiley (1997)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jung, C.S., Shojaei, F., Park, K., Oh, J.Y., Im, H.S., Jang, D.M., Park, J., Kang, H.S.: Red-to-ultraviolet emission tuning of two-dimensional gallium sulfide/selenide. ACS Nano 9(10), 9585–9593 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J., Park, W., Lee, J.-H., Seong, M.-J.: Simultaneous growth of Ga2S3 and GaS thin films using physical vapor deposition with GaS powder as a single precursor. Nanotechnology 30(38), 1–6 (2019)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kokh, K., Lapin, I.N., Svetlichnyi, V., Galiyeva, P., Bakhadur, A., Andreev, Y.: Synthesis and bridgman growth of Ga2S3 Crystals. Key Eng. Mater. 683, 71–76 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhs, J., Hens, Z., Detavernier, C.: Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of gallium sulfide thin films. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 37(2), 1–6 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, Y., Chen, J., Chen, T., Shu, Y., Chang, R., Sheng, Y., Shautsova, V., Mkhize, N., Holdway, P., Bhaskaran, H., Warner, J.H.: Controlling defects in continuous 2D GaS films for high-performance wavelength-tunable UV-discriminating photodetectors. Adv. Mater. 32(7), 1–12 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, H., Chen, Y., Yang, K., Kuang, Y., Li, Z., Liu, Y.: Ultrafast nonlinear optical response and carrier dynamics in layered gallium sulfide (GaS) single-crystalline thin films. Front. Mater. 8, 1–6 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meng, X., Libera, J.A., Fister, T.T., Zhou, H., Hedlund, J.K., Fenter, P., Elam, J.W.: Atomic layer deposition of gallium sulfide films using hexakis (dimethylamido) digallium and hydrogen sulfide. Chem. Mater. 26(2), 1029–1039 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Micocci, G., Rella, R., Tepore, A.: Conductivity and optical absorption in amorphous gallium sulphide thin films. Thin Solid Films 172(2), 179–183 (1989)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L., Logunov, A., Gogova, D., Zelentsov, S., Prokhorov, I., Starostin, N., Letnianchik, A., Vorotyntsev, V.: Synthesis of gallium oxide via interaction of gallium with iodide pentoxide in plasma. Opt. Quantum Electron. 52(12), 1–13 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L., Logunov, A., Kudryashov, M., Prokhorov, I., Sazanova, T., Yunin, P., Pryakhina, V., Vorotuntsev, I., Malyshev, V., Polyakov, A., Pearton, S.J.: Heteroepitaxial growth of Ga2O3 thin films of various phase composition by oxidation of Ga in hydrogen–oxygen plasmas. ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol. 10(7), 073002 (2021a)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L., Logunov, A., Prokhorov, I., Sazanova, T., Kudrin, A., Yunin, P., Zelentsov, S., Letnianchik, A., Starostin, N., Boreman, G., Vorotyntsev, V.: Plasma-chemical synthesis of lead sulphide thin films for near-IR photodetectors. Plasma Chem. Plasma Process. 41(1), 493–506 (2021b)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L.A., Kudryashov, M.A., Logunov, A.A., Kudryashova, Y.P., Malyshev, V.M., Drozdov, P.N., Kovalev, A.V., Vorotyntsev, V.M.: Plasma-chemical synthesis of ytterbium doped As–S thin films. Plasma Chem. Plasma Process. 41(6), 1661–1670 (2021c)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L., Logunov, A., Kudryashov, M., Kudryashova, Yu., Vshivtsev, M., Malyshev, V.: Lead-based chalcogenide thin films for mid-IR photoreceivers: plasma synthesis, semiconductor, and optical properties. Opt. Mater. Express 12(4), 1741–1753 (2022a)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mochalov, L., Logunov, A., Prokhorov, I., Vshivtsev, M., Kudryashov, M., Kudryashova, Yu., Malyshev, V., Spivak, Yu., Greshnyakov, E., Knyazev, A., Fukina, D., Yunin, P., Moshnikov, V.: Variety of ZnO nanostructured materials prepared by PECVD. Opt. Quantum Electron. 54(10), 1–17 (2022b)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao, P., Kumar, S., Sahoo, N.K.: Influence of boat material on the structure, stoichiometry and optical properties of gallium sulphide films prepared by thermal evaporation. Mater. Chem. Phys. 149–150, 164–171 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanz, C., Guillén, C., Gutiérrez, M.T.: Influence of the synthesis conditions on gallium sulfide thin films prepared by modulated flux deposition. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 42(8), 1–6 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Shirai, T., Reader, J., Kramida, A.E., Sugar, J.: Spectral data for gallium: Ga I through Ga XXXI. J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 36(2), 509–615 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, S., Li, Y., Wang, X., Huo, N., Xia, J.-B., Li, S.-S., Li, J.: High performance few-layer GaS photodetector and its unique photo-response in different gas environments. Nanoscale 6(5), 2582–2587 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zappia, M.I., Bianca, G., Bellani, S., Curreli, N., Sofer, Z., Serri, M., Najafi, L., Piccinni, M., Oropesa-Nuñez, R., Marvan, P., Pellegrini, V., Kriegel, I., Prato, M., Cupolillo, A., Bonaccorso, F.: Two-dimensional gallium sulfide nanoflakes for UV-selective photoelectrochemical-type photodetectors. J. Phys. Chem. C 125(22), 11857–11866 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The SEM studies were performed by the Shared Use Center “New Materials and Resource-saving Technologies” (Lobachevsky University).

Funding

This work was supported by RSF, Grant No. 22-19-20081 «Development of scientific and technological fundamentals of synthesis of the functional nanostructured semiconductor materials based on gallium chalcogenides for applications in electronics, optoelectronics, spintronics and catalysis», https://rscf.ru/project/22-19-20081/.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA

    Leonid Mochalov

  2. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University n.a. R.E. Alekseev, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

    Leonid Mochalov, Mikhail Kudryashov, Maksim Vshivtsev & Igor Prokhorov

  3. Lobachevsky University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

    Mikhail Kudryashov, Igor Prokhorov, Yuliya Kudryashova, Pavel Mosyagin & Ekaterina Slapovskaya

Authors
  1. Leonid Mochalov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mikhail Kudryashov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maksim Vshivtsev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Igor Prokhorov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuliya Kudryashova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Pavel Mosyagin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ekaterina Slapovskaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

LM and MK wrote the main manuscript text, MV and IP prepared all figures, YK, PM and ES did the experimental work. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonid Mochalov.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mochalov, L., Kudryashov, M., Vshivtsev, M. et al. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of GaxS1−x thin films: structural and optical properties. Opt Quant Electron 55, 909 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05165-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-023-05165-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation