Ageing the solution precursor prior to thin film deposition can improve the resulting film's uniformity, often leading to enhanced crystallinity and better film quality. This is due to the fact that ageing allows for the complete dissolution of the solute and can promote partial reactions within the solution, leading to more homogeneous nucleation and growth when the thin film is deposited.
However, over-ageing the precursor can have several potential adverse effects:
Particle Growth and Aggregation: Over-aging can lead to excessive growth of the particles in the solution, resulting from a process known as Ostwald ripening, where smaller particles dissolve and re-deposit onto larger ones. This may result in a thin film with larger crystallites and increased surface roughness, leading to non-uniformity.
Changes in Crystallinity: Prolonged ageing can lead to transformations in the crystalline structure of the precursor particles. The changes can influence the structural and optical properties of the resulting thin film.
Stability Issues: If the precursor solution is over-aged, it may become unstable. Aggregation and precipitation of particles could occur, reducing the quality of the resulting thin film.
Chemical Degradation: Over-ageing could lead to chemical degradation depending on the precursor and the conditions. This could be a particular issue with organic precursors or those sensitive to the conditions during the ageing process. Degraded precursors can lead to defects or variations in the resulting thin film.
In summary, while a certain amount of ageing can improve the uniformity of thin films, over-ageing can lead to a range of issues, including larger, more irregular particles, changes in crystallinity, solution instability, and even chemical degradation of the precursor. Therefore, finding the optimal ageing time for the precursor is crucial to yield the best thin film properties.