Formation of Cu2SnS3 and Cu2SnSe3 thin films

Abstract

Objective. The study shows the possibility of Cu₂SnS₃ and Cu₂SnSe₃ synthesis on glass substrates by annealing a Cu₂Sn thin metal film in chalcogen vapours in a vacuum graphite chamber of the quasi-closed volume type.

Methods and methodology. The initial metal films were deposited by thermal sputtering of a Cu₂Sn alloy. It was shown by X-ray microanalysis that the elemental composition of the films corresponds to the stoichiometry of the Cu₂SnS₃ and Cu₂SnSe₃ compounds. By X-ray diffraction, it was found that the obtained chalcogenide films have a sphalerite-like crystal structure.

Results. Diffractograms of Cu₂SnS₃ and Cu₂SnSe₃ chalcogenide films contain peaks characteristic of the cubic symmetry group F-43m. These peaks correspond to reflection planes (111), (220), and (311). Lattice constants for Cu₂SnS₃ and Cu₂SnSe₃ are 5.38 Å and 5.67 Å respectively. The activation energies of direct-gap transitions were determined by the method of IR-spectroscopy: Ea = 0.96 eV for Cu₂SnS₃ and Ea = 0.70 eV for Cu₂SnSe₃. The absorption coefficients for the Cu₂SnS₃ film is 2·10⁵ cm^–1, and for the Cu₂SnSe₃ film is 1·10⁵ cm^–1.

Conclusion. Similar values of lattice parameters of synthesized films and lattice parameters of ZnS and ZnSe crystals can contribute to the formation of functional elements of photoelectronics based on p-Cu₂SnS₃/n-ZnS and p-Cu₂SnSe₃/n-ZnSe heterojunctions.

SOURCE OF FINANCING

The reported study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant No. 18-32-00971 – мол_а).

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare the absence of obvious and potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.

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