SnS films prepared by sulfuration of Sn precursor layers

In this study, tin precursor layers were deposited on ITO glass substrates by thermal evaporation, and sulphurised in a vacuum furnace at the temperature range between 423-673K, in order to translate the tin layers into compound SnS layers. All the layers synthesized were characterized with X-ray diffractograms, microstructure analysis. It was found that the best SnS films were synthesized for sulphurisation at temperature 573-673K, and they were polycrystalline with a strong {111} preferred orientation, and they had orthorhombic crystal structure with a grain size of a few hundred nanometers and exhibited near stoichiometric SnS composition. The near stoichiometric SnS film was measured to have a p-type electrical conductivity and a resistivity of the order of 10(2) Omega.cm, and its optical properties were investigated using spectrophotometric measurements of the transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence in the wavelength range 400-2500nm, the films were transparent for a wavelength > 1250nm.