The chemical process for materials deposition in aqueous solution: a review

The material deposition in aqueous solution, also known as chemical bath deposition (CBD), is a well-established technique for the fabrication of semiconducting thin films. The success of the CBD technique is mainly based on the relatively easy implementation and operation requirements. The CBD has importantly contributed to the development of sensors, optical devices and solar cells applications. In this review, the origins and current state of the art of the CBD technique, the involved physicochemical processes, the growing mechanisms, and the analytical techniques for the estimation of optimal physicochemical conditions for the film deposition are discussed. Emphasis on authors’ experience on CBD of CdS, ZnS, Zn(OH)₂, and ZnO films are here highlighted, following methodologies for a high control of the deposited materials, such as the species distribution diagrams and the solubility curves.