Crystal growth of ZnS films by a charged aerosol-assisted vapor deposition process

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) films have promising applications in optoelectronic devices. The crystal structures and textures of ZnS films depend on the fabrication method and their processing conditions. This paper reports the crystal growth of hexagonal ZnS films deposited using a charged, aerosol-assisted, vapor deposition method. The effects of the charge of precursor droplets on the crystallinity, composition, morphology, and optical bandgap of ZnS films have been established. The crystallographic and morphological results reveal that appropriate droplets charge density can enhance the crystallinity and preferred growth orientation of the hexagonal ZnS structure. The possible deposition mechanism is also discussed.