SnS films for photovoltaic applications: Physical investigations on sprayed $Sn_xS_y$ films

Reddy, Koteeswara N and Reddy, Ramakrishna KT (2005) SnS films for photovoltaic applications: Physical investigations on sprayed $Sn_xS_y$ films. In: Physica B: Condensed Matter, 368 (1-4). pp. 25-31.

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Abstract

Thin films of tin sulphide $(Sn_xS_y)$ have been deposited on antimony-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrates using spray pyrolysis. The depositions were made using 0.1 M equimolar solutions of tin chloride and thiourea at different substrate temperatures varied in the range $100-450^0C$. The physical properties of the films were studied using EDAX, XRD, SEM, AFM, van der Pauw method and spectrophotometry. The obtained results were discussed in the view of testing the suitability of SnS films as an absorber for the fabrication of photovoltaic devices. The films formed for temperatures of $300-375^0C$ were nearly stoichiometric (Sn/S = 1.03), single phase (SnS) and showed a strong (1 1 1) preferred orientation with an average grain size of 0.37 $\mu$m. These single-phase films exhibited p-type conductivity with an average electrical resistivity of $30\Omega$cm and a net carrier concentration of $2 \times 10^1^5 cm^-^3$. These layers had a direct energy band gap of $\sim1.32eV$ with an absorption coefficient of $\sim10^5 cm^-^2$ above the fundamental absorption edge. The films deposited at temperatures $<300^0C$ and $>375^0C$ deviated from stoichiometry and additional phases were found to be present.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Physica B: Condensed Matter
Publisher:	Elsevier
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	Tin sulphide;Spray pyrolysis;Composition;Structure;Electro-optical properties
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Physics
Date Deposited:	16 May 2007
Last Modified:	19 Sep 2010 04:35
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/9743

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