Deposition and characterization of solution processed Se-rich Ge-Se thin films with specular optical quality using multi-component solvent approach

Abstract

The Ge25Se75, Ge20Se80 and Ge15Se85 thin films were deposited in specular optical quality from n-propylamine - methanol solvent mixture by spin-coating technique. As-prepared solution processed thin films were thermally stabilized to reduce the content of organic solvent residuals and optical properties, surface topography, composition, structure and chemical resistance of prepared Ge-Se thin films were studied in dependence of annealing temperature. Suitable thermal stabilization temperatures were found for each studied chalcogenide glass composition with respect to maintaining of thin films’ low surface roughness and targeted elemental composition. Stabilized thin films exhibited high refractive index, high chemical resistance, low surface roughness and structure close to source bulk glasses. The experiments proved that used n-propylamine - methanol solvent offered suitable way for preparation of high optical quality Ge-Se thin films by solution based deposition route.