The effect of Zn concentration on the structural and optical properties of Cd1-xZnxS nanostructured thin films produced by electrochemical deposition

The structural and optical properties of electrodeposited Cd1-xZnxS nanostructured thin films were investigated for compositions of x = 0, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09. X-ray diffraction patterns of the deposited thin films presented two peaks associated with (111) and (220) planes of the cubic crystalline structure. The atomic compositional ratios were determined by performing energy dispersive spectroscopy measurements. Scanning electron microscopy images indicated that deposited thin films have nanostructured forms. Raman spectra of the Cd1-xZnxS thin films exhibited two vibrational modes around 302 and 603 cm-1 which were associated with longitudinal optical mode and its first overtone, respectively. It was seen from the analyses of absorption coefficient that band gap energy of Cd1-xZnxS thin films increases almost linearly from 2.40 to 2.51 eV as composition was increased from x = 0 to x = 0.09.