Fabrication of nanocomposite film coatings to increase the radiation hardness of CdS-like photoconductors

We demonstrated that the size and the distribution density of lead-containing inclusions in the topmost layer deposited on CdS depend on the pH of a Pb(NO3)2 solution, which is used to fabricate a coating for CdS by Langmuir-Blodgett technology. The formation of a nanostructured lead-containing film was controlled by Brewster angle microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The best parameters of the photosensitivity and radiation hardness of a CdS semiconductor with a nanostructured lead-containing surface layer were achieved using a solution of pH ≈ 8 and a Pb(NO3)2 concentration of 10−3 mol/L. We performed modeling of the optimal size and location of lead-containing clusters.