Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2011
The surface morphology of chemical bath deposited In(OH)xSy thin films has been studied using SEM and TEM. Different surface morphologies have been obtained depending on the deposition conditions (reactant concentrations, pH and bath temperature) as a consequence of the variation of both the homogeneous nucleation and particle-growth rates with them. The In(OH)3 colloids present in the bulk solution and on the substrate surface play an important role in the growth mechanism since they promote the In(OH)xSy formation. It has been found that the growth mechanism of the films is the socalled particle-by-particle or colloidal growth.