Properties of Electrodeposited CuSCN 2D Layers and Nanowires Influenced by Their Mixed Domain Structure

Electrodeposited copper thiocyanate (CuSCN) thin films and nanowires have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, and optical spectroscopy. In addition, atomic force microscopy (AFM) together with scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) have been employed for structural characterization. The multiple technique approach allows the correlation between structural, chemical, and electrical properties that are unique to the structure of this material. It has been found that CuSCN thin films and nanowires exhibit high crystalline quality with a close to stoichiometric composition. The XPS and Raman spectra suggest that the thiocyanate ion is bound to copper mainly through its S-end, with approximately 12–14% bound via the N-end. The applied absorption spectroscopy (Tauc and Urbach plots) points toward the possible coexistence of two large band gaps for the electrodeposited CuSCN. While its interpretation may be problematic from a purely physical perspective, we be...