Stacked 2D nanoflake-structured thin films of chalcogenide SnSxSe(y−x) grown by spray pyrolysis: structural, optical and electrical properties

Abstract

In the present work, ternary SnS x Se (2−x) structures were synthesized as thin films by the spray pyrolysis technique. Structural, electrical and optical properties were studied as a function of the deposition temperature. XRD and EDS results showed the presence of the SnS x Se (2−x) phase in the films deposited at temperatures from 300 to 400 °C. The phase SnSSe was obtained at 400 °C and at higher deposition temperatures a mixture of the SnS x Se (2−x) and SnS x Se (1−x) phases becomes present in the samples. XRD also indicated a preferential growth along the (001) direction, and this result is corroborated with SEM images where nanometric flakes with the hexagonal form corresponding to the SnS x Se (2−x) phase were observed. An n-type conductivity was obtained by both Hall-Van der Pauw and Seebeck measurements in the films deposited from 300 to 400 °C. For films deposited at temperatures above 400 °C, a p-type conductivity was obtained in some samples. A Seebeck coefficient as high as 603 μV/K was obtained for the sample deposited at 400 °C. Bandgap energies were obtained from the transmittance and reflectance spectra. The bandgap varied from 2.44 to 1.04 eV, yielding a value of 1.28 eV for the SnSSe sample.

Enhanced Opto‐Electrical Properties of Chalcogenide‐Rich Tin Selenide Thin Film after Incorporating Sulfur Yielding Tin Sulfoselenide

“…Spray pyrolysis [48] 8.56×10 2 22.7 3.21×10 14 p Direct vapour transport [49] 4.89 100 1.29×10 16 p MSELD [50] 4.5-66.9…”

“…[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Tin (II) sulfoselenide (SnSSe), one of the sulfosalt materials on which we focus, has demonstrated promising performance for a wide range of applications in optoelectronic devices owing to its advantageous electrical and optical properties, which fall in between those of SnS and SnSe. [22,23] Numerous researchers have noted that SnSe exhibits a single phase when Se/Sn > 1. [24,25] For this reason, we have decided to focus our research on chalcogenide-rich SnSe.…”

“…For optoelectronic devices and applications, different ternary sulfo-selenides, including CdSSe, SnSSe, ZnSSe, WSSe, Sb 2 SSe, and MoSSe, have been demonstrated in numerous investigations. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Tin (II) sulfoselenide (SnSSe), one of the sulfosalt materials on which we focus, has demonstrated promising performance for a wide range of applications in optoelectronic devices owing to its advantageous electrical and optical properties, which fall in between those of SnS and SnSe. [22,23] Numerous researchers have noted that SnSe exhibits a single phase when Se/Sn > 1.…”

“…The use of ternary chalcogenide thin films in optoelectronic devices has increased during the past few decades due to their special optical and electronic characteristics, as well as the fact that they are affordable, simple to produce and use on a large scale, and environmentally friendly. For optoelectronic devices and applications, different ternary sulfo‐selenides, including CdSSe, SnSSe, ZnSSe, WSSe, Sb 2 SSe, and MoSSe, have been demonstrated in numerous investigations [15–23] . Tin (II) sulfo‐selenide (SnSSe), one of the sulfosalt materials on which we focus, has demonstrated promising performance for a wide range of applications in optoelectronic devices owing to its advantageous electrical and optical properties, which fall in between those of SnS and SnSe [22,23] .…”