Influence of Silar Cycle on The Energy Bandgap of Iron Copper Sulphide (FeCuS) Thin Films Deposited on SLG Substrate

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of SILAR cycle on the energy bandgap of Iron Copper Sulphide (FeCuS) thin films deposited on soda-lime glass substrate (SLG). A Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method is one of the chemical methods for making uniform and large area thin films, which is based on immersion of substrates into separately placed cationic and anionic precursors. The technological importance of chemically deposited iron copper sulphide (FeCuS) using SILAR technique vis-à-vis the effect of SILAR cycle on the energy band gap of the deposited thin films has not been unraveled. Thin films of Iron Copper Sulphide were grown on soda-lime glass substrate (SLG) by a simple solution based Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) technique at room temperature (300 K) with EDTA, TEA and NH 4 OH as complexing agents at different SILAR cycles (20, 30 and 40 cycles) of deposition. The thin films grown were characterized using Avantes UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Avalight-DH-S-BAL) in the wavelength range 200-1000nm and Four Point Probe machine (Keithley 4ZA4 2400 Sourcemeter, manufactured by Tektronix Company). The optical properties considered revealed high absorbance and reflectance but low transmittance in the UV region; low values of absorbance and reflectance accompanied with high transmittance in the VIS region. Moreover, the resistivity of the grown thin film varied from 9.480 x 10 6 Ωm to 4.366 x 10 7 Ωm in order of increasing SILAR cycle, direct band gap of 3.76e V, 3.51e V and 3.42e V were obtained. These properties suggest that the films are suitable for solar cell and optoelectronic applications.

Synthesis of Iron Copper Sulphide (FeCuS) Thin Film and its Characterization

“…For samples deposited at 60 and 70 SILAR cycles, band gap values increased with the cycle, whereas the sample deposited at 50 SILAR cycles had a higher band gap value of 2.99 eV. There is an obvious contrast between the range of these direct energy band gap values and the result of Adeniji et al, 2020. The values obtained were found to be lower which could be attributed to the variation of SILAR cycle used.…”

“…The production of these thin films is done in this modification by submerging the substrate in cationic and anionic precursors that are placed independently, and then cleaning the substrate with ion-exchanged water in between each immersion in order to prevent homogenous precipitation in the solution. Several researchers have successfully deposited FeCuS thin films by the use of chemical bath deposition (CBD) (Obasi et al, 2016), solution growth technique (SGT) (Uhuegbu, 2010) and SILAR technique (Adeniji et al, 2020). In this work, we use the SILAR technique to deposit FeCuS thin films by the use of Triethanolamine acid (TEA) and Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as complexing agents.…”

Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Tin Sulphide (ZTS) Thin Films via Chemical Bath Deposition Route

“…Similar sheet resistivity measurements for ZnS were obtained using Van der Pauw technique in the order of 10 2 Ω-cm to 10 1 Ω-cm and electrical conductivity of 10 -3 to 10 -2 (Ω-cm) -1 by Shinde et al (2011). Adeniji et al 2020 reported that when conductivity increases as the heat treatment increases, it enhances the electrical properties of ZTS thin films and this made the ZTS a good candidate for solar cell fabrication.…”