Electrodeposition of nickel selenide thin films in the presence of triethanolamine as a complexing agent

Electrodeposition in the presence of triethanolamine in aqueous solution was found to offer some improvements in the synthesis of nickel selenide thin film. The presence of triethanolamine also showed its capacity for improving the longevity of the deposition as well as the adhesion of the deposited films on the titanium substrate. Photoelectrochemical analysis reveals outstanding photoactivity for the thin film deposited at -0.70 V, while the optical study shows an energy gap of about 2.0 eV. The film exhibited p-type semiconductor behavior. The scanning electron microscope results showed that the samle deposited in the presence of triethanolamine produced better and smoother surface coverage and bigger grain size. (C) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.