Spray pyrolysis deposition of lanthanum telluride thin films and their characterizations

Spray pyrolysis method is used to deposit lanthanum telluride (La2Te3) thin films on glass substrates. The films are deposited by pyrolysis of sprayed solutions of LaCl3 and Te metal dissolved in concentrated HCl and HNO3 along with hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. X-ray diffraction analyses show that the films are polycrystalline with La2Te3 phase. The films have a direct optical band gap of 2.2 eV. The films are p-type semiconductors with an electrical resistivity of the order of 104 Ω cm at ambient temperature (27 °C).