Thermal decomposition of tris(O-ethyldithiocarbonato)-antimony(III)—a single-source precursor for antimony sulfide thin films

Thermal decomposition of tris(O-ethyldithiocarbonato)-antimony(III) (1), a precursor for Sb2S3 thin films synthesized from an acidified aqueous solution of SbCl3 and KS2COCH2CH3, was monitored by simultaneous thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis and evolved gas analysis via mass spectroscopy (TG/DTA-EGA-MS) measurements in dynamic Ar, and synthetic air atmospheres. 1 was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, and quantified by NMR and elemental analysis. Solid intermediates and final decomposition products of 1 prepared in both atmospheres were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and FTIR. 1 is a complex compound, where Sb is coordinated by three ethyldithiocarbonate ligands via the S atoms. The thermal degradation of 1 in Ar consists of three mass loss steps, and four mass loss steps in synthetic air. The total mass losses are 100% at 800 °C in Ar, and 66.8% at 600 °C in synthetic air, where the final product is Sb2O4. 1 melts at 85 °C, and decomposes at 90–170 °C into mainly Sb2S3, as confirmed by Raman, and an impurity phase consisting mostly of CSO 2 2− ligands. The solid-phase mineralizes fully at ≈240 °C, which permits Sb2S3 to crystallize at around 250 °C in both atmospheres. The gaseous species evolved include CS2, C2H5OH, CO, CO2, COS, H2O, SO2, and minor quantities of C2H5SH, (C2H5)2S, (C2H5)2O, and (S2COCH2CH3)2. The thermal decomposition mechanism of 1 is described with chemical reactions based on EGA-MS and solid intermediate decomposition product analysis.