Electrodeposition Of Single Phase Sns Thin Films: Effect Of Electrolytic Bath Temperature On The Final Film Properties

In this article, the electrodeposition of single-phase tin monosulfide (SnS) films at different electrolytic bath temperatures is studied. The electrodeposition was carried out potentiostaticaly onto transparent conductive substrates (fluorine-doped tin oxide, and indium tin oxide on a glass substrate) from an acidic solution of SnSO4 and Na2S2O3 as tin and sulfur precursors, respectively. The films were characterized through different techniques: field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analyses, X-ray diffraction measurements, profilometry, Raman spectra, UV-vis measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep photovoltammetry. The films obtained were stoichiometric and no other phases different from SnS were evidenced. A change in the morphology from cubic-like to sheet-like was observed with an increase of bath temperature, which was reflected in the texture coefficient obtained from X-ray diffraction analyses. The bandgap of the films was obtained using a direct absorption edge in the Tauc plots. A decreasing bandgap with electrodeposition temperature was observed, which is attributed to an improvement in the crystallinity of the films. Mott-Schottky plots and linear sweep photovoltammetry measurements confirmed that the films are p-type semiconductors. An increase in the photocurrent of the photoelectrodes was observed with the electrolytic bath temperature, which is attributed to the change of SnS morphology with the electrodeposition temperature. (c) 2019 The Electrochemical Society.