Electrodeposition of PbTe thin films

Lead telluride (PbTe) thin films were electrodeposited potentiostatically on SnO2 and Cu substrates from aqueous alkaline solutions of Pb(CH3COO)(2), disodium salt of ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and TeO2. Film deposition reactions were studied with cyclic voltammetry. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA), deuteron induced reactions and profilometry. Potential ranges where PbTe films with constant composition were achieved were -0.70 to -0.90 V versus SCE on SnO2 substrates and -0.80 to -0.95 V versus SCE on Cu substrates when the concentration of PbEDTA(2-) was 0.1 M. The corresponding potential ranges were -0.75 to -0.95 and -0.85 to -0.95 V versus SCE when the PbEDTA(2-) concentration was 0.05 M. The concentration of TeO32- was 0.001 M in both cases. The films were smooth, dense and crystalline having the cubic PbTe structure but they contained an excess of telluriurn. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.