Photovoltaic Behavior of Nanocrystalline SnS/TiO2

• Published in: Journal of physical chemistry. C Vol. 114; no. 7; pp. 3256 - 3259
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu, Gong, Hao, Fan, Benhu, Hu, Guangxia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 25.02.2010
• Subjects: C: Energy Conversion and Storage
• ISSN: 1932-7447; 1932-7455
• DOI: 10.1021/jp9075756

Nanocrystalline tin sulfide (SnS) was prepared by chemical bath deposition, and the photovoltaic behavior of SnS/TiO2 was studied. The X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy revealed an ∼6 nm SnS polycrystalline orthorhombic structure. The SnS film exhibited a band gap of 1.3 eV, and its absorption coefficient was more than 1 × 104 cm−1 in the visible light range. The electrical conductivity activation energy of the SnS film was 0.22 eV, determined when the sample was heated in the temperature range of 111−144 °C. Although the sample was insulating at room temperature, photovoltaic behavior was found in a SnS/TiO2 structure, with an open-circuit voltage (V oc) of 471 mV, a short-circuit current density (J sc) of 0.3 mA/cm2, and the conversion efficiency (η) of 0.1% under 1 sun illumination. The properties of SnS and the reasons behind the photovoltaic phenomenon of SnS/TiO2 are discussed.