Morphological and electrical properties of SnS:Bi thin films

Abstract

This work presents results regarding the influence of the Bi content on the morphology and electrical transport properties of SnS:Bi thin films grown by sulfurization of the metallic precursors on a soda-lime glass substrate. The SnS:Bi films were characterized through atomic force microscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. The results showed that the Bi content affects the grain size and roughness of the SnS:Bi films. The grain size affects the carrier mobility and therefore the electrical conductivity at room temperature. Measurements of conductivity as a function of temperature, carried out in the range between 90K and 630K, revealed the electrical transport in SnS:Bi thin films is affected by two different mechanisms: at temperatures greater than 350K, the conductivity is predominantly affected by free carrier transport in extended states of the conduction/valence band, whereas at temperatures below 350K the conductivity is mainly determined by the variable range hopping transport mechanism. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.