Low Resistive Micrometer-Thick SnS:Ag Films for Optoelectronic Applications

Ag-doped films have been grown with a thickness of by thermal evaporation technique on Coring 7059 glass substrates at a substrate temperature of . The effects of doping on the physical properties of the films have been investigated. The physical characteristics of the films are discussed and correlated to the microstructural and electro-optical properties. Electro-optical studies show that undoped films have an electrical resistivity and optical bandgap of and at room temperature. With the increase of Ag dopant concentration, the resistivity of the layers initially decreased, reached a minimum value of at 15 atom % of Ag and again increased thereafter. However, optical bandgap of the films decreased nonlinearly with increase of Ag percentage. An empirical formula , which describes the energy gap as a function of the film composition, has been derived. The doping effect on the surface structure of films was also studied.