The Nanostructure Based SnS Chalcogenide Semiconductor: A Detailed Investigation of Physical and Electrical Properties

Abstract

In this research, we fabricate SnS films using a low-cost spray pyrolysis technique. Several parameters such as grain size, textural coefficient, Sn concentration, root mean square (RMS), optical band gap, Urbach and dispersion energy are determined by the mean of X-ray diffraction pattern, UV-Vis measurements, surface morphology observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selective area electron diffraction (SAED) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore, SnS thin films exhibit a polycrystalline structure having a low grain size of 6.1 nm along principal (111) orientation. The optical band gap is around 1.9 eV and Urbach energy is of 740 meV. The dielectric parameters of chalcogenide SnS thin film are varying with photon energy within ultraviolet-visible-infrared (Uv-Vis-IR) bands. Besides, the single oscillator E₀ and E_d energies are found to be 2.03 and 3.28 eV, respectively, using the Wemple and DiDomenico (WDD) model.
Electrical measurements of SnS thin films deposited onto Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) substrate are accomplished and current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of SnO₂ / SnS/ITO, are shaped in dark and room temperature conditions. Photovoltaic parameters like open circuit voltage (V_oc), short circuit current (I_sc), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (η) values are determined and SnO₂/ SnS/ITO junction records the highest values.