Conductive copper sulfide thin films on polyimide foils

Kapton polyimide is known for its high thermal stability, >400 degreesC. Copper sulfide thin films of 75 and 100 nm thickness were coated on DuPont Kapton HN polyimide foils of 25 mum thickness by floating them on a chemical bath containing copper complexes and thiourea. The coated foils were annealed at 150-400 degreesC in nitrogen, converting the coating from CuS to Cu1.8S. The sheet resistance of the annealed coatings (100 nm) is 10-50 Omega/square and electrical conductivity, 2-10 x 10(3) Omega (-1) cm(-1), which remain nearly constant even after the foils are immersed in 0.1-1 M HCl for 30-120 min. The coated polyimide has a transmittance (25-35%) peak located in the wavelength legion 550-600 nm, with transmittance dropping to near zero below 450 nm and below 10% in the near-infrared spectral region. These characteristics are relevant in solar radiation control applications. The coated foils might also be used as conductive substrates for electrolytic deposition of metals and semiconductors and for opcoelectronic device structures.