Abstract
Lead sulfide (PbS) thin films were prepared by thermal evaporation onto glass substrates from PbS powder. The structure and DC electrical properties of evaporated PbS thin film sandwich structures with thicknesses (d) up to 600 nm have been investigated. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the films were crystalline, with a preferred orientation in the [111] direction. Capacitance measurements indicated that the films had a relative permittivity of 5.7. Room-temperature current density-voltage (J–V) characteristics revealed ohmic conduction below a transition voltage (Vt) and a power–law dependence with an exponent of ≈ 2 at higher voltages. This behaviour was interpreted in terms of space–charge limited conductivity controlled by an exponential distribution of traps below the conduction band edge. Further evidence for this conduction process was provided by a linear dependence of Vt upon d2. Analysis of the results yielded a room temperature electron concentration no of ≈ (3.9 – 5.4) x 109 m-3.