Preparation of SnS films in chemical solution using microwave irradiation

Tin sulfide (SnS) thin films were deposited on glass slides in a chemical solution that was prepared by mixing stannous dichloride, acetone, triethanolamine (TEA), thioacetamide, and liquid ammonia in water. Then solution was heated by oil bath stirrer (OBS) or microwave oven (MW). Thin films were deposited on glass slides in the solution heated by the OBS or MW. The SnS films deposited in the solutions with various amounts of TEA were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and photocurrent measurements. SEM revealed that films prepared using OBS and MW showed different dependence of film-thickness on the amount of TEA in the solution. Flat SnS films with few holes and grooves were obtained at optimized TEA contents using MW. The dark conductivity and the photocurrent of SnS films prepared with chemical bath deposition using OBS decreased with decreasing TEA, whereas those prepared using MW increased with decreasing TEA. The sample prepared with optimized TEA content using MW showed a photocurrent 20 times higher than that of the sample prepared with optimized TEA using OBS.