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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1997  > October  >
In the Laboratory
Preparation of Semiconducting Materials in the Laboratory, Part 2: Microscale Chemical Bath Deposition of Materials with Band Gap Energies in the UV, VIS, and IR
Jorge G. Ibanez, Flora Gomez, Ivonne Konik, Diana E. Lozano, Alejandra Mugica, Mono M. Singh, Zvi Szafran, and Ronald M. Pike
Universidad Iberoamericana, Depto. Ing. y C. Quimicas, Prol Reforma 880, Mexico, D.F. 01210, MEXICO

Cover
October 1997
Vol. 74 No. 10
p. 1205

Abstract
The technique of chemical bath deposition (CBD), based upon the controlled precipitation of an insoluble compound, is used in the laboratory for the student production of thin films of three inorganic semiconducting sulfides: ZnS, CdS and Bi2S3 which have their band gap energy values (Eg) in the UV, VIS and IR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, respectively. Here, a saturated solution of an electrolyte in contact with its own solid phase originates a well defined numerical relationship (Ksp) among the concentrations (or activities) of the ions in solution. Precipitation occurs when this product is exceeded. However, this precipitation is usually massive and the solid formed does not grow in a defined, homogeneous pattern. In order to achieve a controlled precipitation one can often add a complexing agent (L) as to form a stable complex (MnLp) with the metallic ion (M) that controls its concentration. The band gap energies, Eg of these semiconducting films produced on glass or polymer slides are then estimated from their absorbance spectra at the corresponding wavelengths, lg (i.e. Eg = hc/lg). Typical student values (in eV) are: 3.7, 2.3 and 1.4 for ZnS, CdS and Bi2S3, respectively which compare well to the literature values of 3.4, 2.42 and 1.47 eV.
More Information
*  Citation
Ibanez, Jorge G.; Gomez, Flora ; Konik, Ivonne; Lozano, Diana E.; Mugica, Alejandra; Singh, Mono M.; Szafran, Zvi; Pike, Ronald M. J. Chem. Educ. 1997 74 1205.
*  Keywords
Laboratory, Inorganic Chemistry, Microscale, Materials Science, and Laboratory Instruction
*  History
Created:
Last Updated:
July 27, 1999
June 23, 2005
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1997 > October > Page 1205


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