Tin-doped comb-like CdS microstructure and construction of the micro-sliding rheostat

Highly-ordered tin-doped CdS comb-like microstructure was synthesized by a common CVD route. SEM image shows the branches with the uniform diameter are distributed at one side of the CdS trunk. EDS and XPS results confirm the main elemental composition of the CdS comb is Cd, S and Sn. The crystal structure is characterized by TEM. High resolution TEM image shows a typical wurtzite structure and the corresponding SAED pattern demonstrates the trunk grows along [−1 1 0 1] direction, which has no polarity. Moreover, the micro-sliding rheostat has been successfully fabricated by connecting the trunk with four individual branches. The electrical characterization reveals that the resistance can be tuned from 57.79 to 49.65 kΩ in dark and changed from 44.35 to 38.52 kΩ under the illumination of white light. This work shows that the CdS comb-like microstructure has the great potential to be used as a micro-zone variable resistor device for the construction of integrated optoelectronic devices.