Bias-induced changes in carrier type of Pb(1-x)Fe(x)S nanocrystalline solution grown thin films

Change of majority carrier type was achieved in nanocrystalline Pb(1-x)Fe(x)S thin films by applying a DC-bias on the substrate during their growth by solution growth technique. Critical control of biasing and pH of the solution bath are observed to be necessary to achieve this change. The DC-bias results in slight change in relative concentrations of the constituents in the films, which lead to change in majority carriers without any measurable change in lattice parameter. This modification to the conventional solution growth technique provides the possibility to grow abrupt homojunctions in the nanocrystalline films by sudden change in DC-biasing during film growth. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.