An automatic apparatus for the preparation of thin films by successive ionic layer deposition

Abstract

An automatic apparatus for the preparation of thin-film coatings by successive ionic layer deposition is presented. The basic design, engineering, and operating parameters of the apparatus are the specimenpositioning accuracy with respect to the phase boundaries of 10 μm, a substrate speed in the solution of 0.5–3 mm/s, and a temperature range of 25–90°C. The apparatus was tested in the course of preparation of cadmium sulfide thin films from aqueous–alcohol solutions. The resulting specimens had a dense homogeneous surface, a thickness of 1.3–25.5 nm, depending on the number of the layer-deposition cycles, and an energy gap width of 2.3–2.5 eV.