Zinc bis(O-ethylxanthate) Zn(S2COEt)2 has been applied as single-source precursor for the CVD growth of amorphous ZnS-based thin films (thickness <30nm) on SiO2 and SiO2/Si(100) substrates in a N2 atmosphere in a cold-wall reactor at 300–400 °C temperatures. The optical properties of the ZnS coatings were studied by UV-Vis absorption and FTIR spectroscopies; the films were highly transparent ( > 80 %) in the visible and IR spectral ranges. Layer chemical composition (surface and in-depth) was investigated by XPS, X-ray excited AES, and SIMS. Surface morphology of the layers was studied by AFM. [[i]]
[i] D. Barreca, E. Tondello, D. Lydon, T.R. Spalding, M. Fabrizio, Chemical Vapor Deposition, Vol. 9, Issue 2, pages 93–98, March, 2003, « Single-Source Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zinc Sulfide-Based Thin Films from Zinc bis(O-ethylxanthate) »
Zinc O-isopropylxanthate Zn(S2COiPr)2 has been applied as a single-source precursor for the growth of ZnS thin films by laser-assisted CVD under vacuum conditions; as the properties of the films grown photolytically were compared to those obtained by thermal CVD. During the LACVD growth, laser selectively activated the initial decomposition of the precursor and drived its conversion to the desired material under mild conditions. The films deposited by both techniques were pure stoichiometric ZnS in the hexagonal phase according to XRD, RBS, and XPS; the surface morphology was differing in shape and granule size. The decompositon of the precursors during the LACVD process was studied by luminescence spectroscopy, as well as by trapping of the photoreaction products and mass spectroscopy. The identified gas-phase photochemical intermediates were Zn and S2, and gaseous organic byproducts.[310]