A novel technique for preparation of nano-structured conducting thin film containing chalcogenide compounds

We found that organic polymers with hydroxyl group worked as good matrices for copper chloride, which could be converted to copper sulfide after treated with hydrogen sulfide. Using this method, transparent conducting hybrid films can be obtained. The hybrid structure can be controlled at nano-meter level by addition of silica sol or other inorganic metal salts such as aluminum chloride. Without addition of silica sol and aluminum chloride, the film is composed of copper sulfide crystal particles in diameter of about 10 to 100 nm dispersed homogeneously in the film. The electron beam diffraction pattern of the crystal has hexagonal symmetry. However, when silica sol and aluminum chloride is added, the electron beam diffraction pattern becomes defuse and almost no isolated particle is observed in the TEM image. This means that copper sulfide forms a continuous network in the hybrid film, which dominates the conductivity.