In this work, a new method for synthesizing
lead iodide (PbI₂) thin films was developed using the
chemical bath deposition (CBD) method, which consisted of two stages. In the first stage,
tin oxide films were synthesized to act as a seed layer, allowing for better adhesion of the film to be deposited. The second stage consisted of synthesizing the
lead iodide films. Finally, heat treatments (100, 150°C, 200°C, 250°C, 270°C) were performed to promote polytype transitions in the material and to study the effect of these structures on the optical, chemical, and structural properties of the material. The direct influence of the heat treatment on the induction of polytypes was determined, and these polytypes clearly influence the structure and
chemical composition of the resulting films.The results showed that the formulation sequence is crucial for generating a heterogeneous mechanism, which leads to the formation of
lead iodide films. The samples obtained exhibited a characteristic yellow color of lead
iodide films. Structural and compositional characterization using X-
ray diffraction and
transmission electron microscopy established that the films, both with and without heat treatment, exhibit a 2H and 4H polytypical structure. Furthermore, an increase in the contribution of the 4H structure and
crystallinity was observed with increasing heat treatment temperature, a result consistent with the
hypothesis and objectives of the project.Using Raman
microscopy, we were able to identify the vibrational
modes of the films with and without heat treatment, which correspond to the vibrational
modes of 2H and 4H polytypical structures. Finally, their optical properties were measured using UV-Vis optical
microscopy, establishing that temperature does not have a significant effect on the onset of fundamental absorption of the material. Applying the Kubelka-Munk method, we were able to determine the
band gap for the lead
iodide films, Eg 2.4 eV.