Compositional tunability in solid solution PbS_xSe_1-x thin films chemically deposited on GaAs(100)

Compositional tuning of ternary solid solution semiconducting thin films can provide control over the physical properties of the films, and subsequently improve their technological performance. In this work, PbS_xSe_1-x solid solution thin films were chemically deposited on GaAs(100) substrates. Graded solid solutions as well as single-phase solid solutions with tunable compositions were obtained. Lattice parameters were extracted from X-ray diffraction and film compositions were calculated based on Vegard's law. It was concluded that PbS_xSe_1-x solid solution films can be chemically deposited in the entire range of compositions; however, each composition requires optimization of its own deposition conditions.