Method of passivating an iron disulfide surface via encapsulation in a zinc sulfide matrix

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9806208-B2
Application number	US-201715615935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2017
Priority date	Mar 18, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A method for passivating the surface of crystalline iron disulfide (FeS 2 ) by encapsulating it within an epitaxial zinc sulfide (ZnS) matrix. Also disclosed is the related product comprising FeS 2 encapsulated by a ZnS matrix in which the sulfur atoms at the FeS 2 surfaces are passivated. Additionally disclosed is a photovoltaic (PV) device incorporating FeS 2 encapsulated by a ZnS matrix.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method for passivating iron disulfide crystallites, comprising:
forming iron disulfide crystallites comprising crystal surfaces; and
encapsulating the iron disulfide crystallites within an epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix;
wherein the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix passivates sulfur atoms present on the crystal surfaces of the iron disulfide crystallites, thereby reducing surface defects as compared to iron disulfide crystallites not encapsulated by an epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing the zinc sulfide matrix comprising encapsulated iron disulfide crystallites on a substrate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate comprises a rigid material.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate comprises a flexible material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix and encapsulated iron disulfide crystallites form a film that flexes along with the flexible substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the iron disulfide crystallites range in size from 1 nm to 10 μm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a layer of the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix at least one monolayer thick separates the iron disulfide crystallites.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface defects in the iron disulfide crystallites are assessed by comparing an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy scan of S 2p doublets associated with surface defects with an X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy scan of S 2p doublets associated with the bulk state.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystal surfaces of the iron disulfide crystallites and the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix form a lattice match.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix comprises crystal surfaces having a lattice constant of about 5.411 Å.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystal surfaces of the iron disulfide crystallites have a lattice constant of about 5.417 Å.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix is deposited by physical vapor deposition.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial zinc sulfide matrix is deposited by chemical vapor deposition.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the chemical vapor deposition is atomic layer deposition.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the iron disulfide crystallites are formed by physical vapor deposition.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the iron disulfide crystallites are formed by chemical vapor deposition.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the chemical vapor deposition is atomic layer deposition.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising incorporating the passivated iron disulfide crystallites into a photovoltaic device.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Frantz Jesse A
• Myers Jason D
• Baker Colin C
• Sanghera Jasbinder S
• Erwin Steven C

Classifications

• C23C14/0623

  Sulfides, selenides or tellurides · CPC title

• H01L31/0368

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/02167 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0384

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title