Study of pulsed laser deposited antimony selenide thin films

Growth of Sb2Se3 thin films via pulsed laser deposition technique using presynthesized ball-milled Sb2Se3 compound material as a source has been attempted in this work. Films were grown at room temperature and at a substrate temperature of 320 degrees C. The films grown at 320 degrees C showed a crystalline orientation along (020). Raman studies confirmed Sb2Se3 phase formation along with the presence of Sb2O3 for films grown at 320 degrees C that was followed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, which indicated the presence of oxide formation, wherein the identified valence states of Sb and Se confirmed the compositional stoichiometry. Optical transmittance studies yielding a bandgap of similar to 1.29 eV matched with reported values and the absorption values were of the order of similar to 10(6) cm(-1) in the visible region. Scanning electron microscopy showed the morphology of Sb2Se3 grown at 320 degrees C having a surface devoid of cracks and the cross-section SEM showed the film having a thickness of similar to 1 mu m. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of films grown at 320 degrees C showed near stoichiometric compositional values with slight selenium deficiency. Resistivity was calculated using a two-point probe method that showed a value of similar to 6 x 10(8) Omega-cm for Sb2Se3 films grown at 320 degrees C. Hot point probe measurement showed the film to be a p-type semiconductor.

Automated summary

In this study, growth of Sb2Se3 thin films was attempted using pulsed laser deposition technique with presynthesized ball-milled Sb2Se3 compound material as a source. The films grown at 320 degrees C exhibited crystalline orientation along (020) and presence of Sb2O3, confirmed by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Optical transmittance studies revealed a bandgap of approximately 1.29 eV, matching reported values, with absorption values around 10^6 cm(-1) in the visible region. Scanning electron microscopy showed films grown at 320 degrees C to have a crack-free surface and a thickness of around 1 μm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated near stoichiometric compositional values with slight selenium deficiency. Resistivity measurements showed Sb2Se3 films grown at 320 degrees C to have a value of approximately 6 x 10^8 Omega-cm, and hot point probe measurement confirmed the film to be a p-type semiconductor.