Enhanced conductivity metal-chalcogenide films via post elecrophoretic deposition (epd) treatment

Abstract

A facile room-temperature method for assembling colloidal copper sulfide (Cu2-xS) nanoparticles into highly electrically conducting calcogenide material layer films utilizes ammonium sulfide for connecting the nanoparticles, while simultaneously effecting templating surfactant ligand removal. The foregoing process steps transform an as-deposited insulating films into a highly conducting films (i.e., having a conductivity at least about 75 S·cm−1). The methodology is anticipated as applicable to copper chalcogenides other than copper sulfide, as well as metal chalcogenides other than copper chalcogenides. The comparatively high conductivities reported are attributed to better interparticle coupling through the ammonium sulfide treatment. This approach presents a scalable room temperature route for fabricating comparatively highly conducting nanoparticle assemblies for large area electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.