Preparation of CdS thin films by annealing Cd2+-dithiol self-assembled films

The alternating multilayer films of cadmium ion and 1,6-hexanedithiol were constructed by the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The UV–vis spectra monitored the annealing process of the multilayer films, which revealed that the cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin film began to be formed at approximately 493 K. The results of XPS, PL and AFM confirmed the formation of CdS on the substrate. This contribution brings forward a simple method to fabricate the chalcogenide thin films with controlled thickness.