Tailoring the structural, optical, and optoelectrical properties of innovative n-type Ag2ZnSnS4 thin films and investigating ITO/Ag2ZnSnS4/SnS/Au heterojunction

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 35; no. 11; p. 794
• Main Author: Almotiri, Reim A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Deposition; Electrical resistivity; Energy gap; Film thickness; Heterojunction devices; Homogeneity; Materials Science; N-type semiconductors; Nonlinear optics; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties; Optical transition; Optoelectronics; Photovoltaic cells; Refractivity; Semiconductors; Solar cells; Thin films
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-024-12563-y

This work aims to create silver zinc tin sulfide (Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 ) layers with various thicknesses (254, 381, 473, and 539 nm) by a simple chemical deposition technique. The X-ray diffraction data revealed that the as-prepared Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films are polycrystalline, and all films have a single Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 phase with a tetragonal structure. The morphology of the Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films was investigated by FE-SEM, which refers to the surface homogeneity of the investigated Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films. Measurements of transmittance and reflectance of the Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films studied the optical properties of the chemically prepared Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films. The analysis of the refractive indices of the investigated films reveals an increase in these values occurred by enlarging the deposition time and film thickness. The energy gap calculations displayed a direct optical transition in thin films of Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 that decreased from 3.53 to 3.06 eV with the growth in the thickness. Furthermore, the optoelectrical indices and nonlinear optical parameters of the Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films, such as electrical conductivity, optical mobility, and optical conductivity, were enhanced by increasing the thickness. The hot-probe experiment refers to the Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 samples are n-type semiconductors. Ultimately, Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 films are promising n-type semiconductors that might be used in various photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications, particularly the economic window layer for solar cells. Conversely, ITO/Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 /SnS/Au heterojunction was created. The solar conversion efficiency of this heterojunction device is 7.27%. The outcomes demonstrated that these Ag 2 ZnSnS 4 samples can be used to thin-film solar cells as a novel window layer.