THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AMORPHOUS SELENIUM FILMS OBTAINED BY LOW-TEMPERATURE PHOTODEPOSITION

The thermal treatment structural behaviour of amorphous selenium (a-Se) films as obtained by a low-temperature photodeposition process was studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were used to obtain detailed information regarding the structural changes in the temperature range of -50-250-degrees-C. Our understanding of the crystallization behaviour was also aided by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The results were compared to other observations made on structural transitions of a-Se obtained traditionally by high-temperature processes such as quenching from the melt and vacuum deposition. Comparing the DSC thermograms clearly shows that the low-temperature photodeposition process gives a different structural transition behaviour of a-Se during thermal crystallization. Specifically new transitions were observed structurally in the temperature range 80-160-degrees-C.