Abstract

ZnS films were synthesised using a novel electrostatic assisted aerosol jet deposition (EAAJD) technique at temperatures above 450 °C from an aqueous solution of zinc chloride and thiourea. The films showed a mixture of hexagonal and cubic structures and strong preferred orientations, with the c-axis normal to film surface. Annealing at higher temperatures improved the crystallinity of the as-deposited films. However, ZnO was formed when the as-deposited films were annealed in air. The ZnS films exhibit a planar structure with small crystal sizes (<200 nm). The optical direct bandgap values (3.35–3.46 eV) of the as-deposited films were lower than reported values for polycrystalline ZnS, probably owing to their poor crystallinity and partial oxidation.