XPS study of iodine and tin doped Sb2S3 nanostructures affected by non-uniform charging

• Published in: Applied surface science 2021-11, Vol.567, p.150822, Article 150822
• Main Authors: Stamenković, Tijana, Bundaleski, Nenad, Barudžija, Tanja, Validžić, Ivana, Lojpur, Vesna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Energy material; Non-uniform charging; Sb2S3; Semiconductor; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150822

[Display omitted] •XRD and XPS analysis are used for investigation non-doped and I and Sn doped Sb2S3.•XRD measurements revealed single phase, pure orthorhombic Sb2S3 structure.•XPS survey spectra confirmed the presence of appropriate elements, Sb, S, I and Sn.•Bonding identification was hindered by non-uniform charging while recording spectra.•New approach for resolving non-uniform charging was successfully implemented. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements are used for investigating incorporation of iodine and tin into the stibnite (Sb2S3) lattice, as well as for determining surface composition and structure, respectively. The XRD analysis revealed the visible presence of a single phase, that of pure orthorhombic Sb2S3 structure. XPS survey spectra confirmed the presence of expected elements (Sb, S, Sn and I) at the surface of corresponding samples. Since the bonding identification was hindered by non-uniform charging of samples during acquiring the photoelectron spectra, a novel approach for the analysis of high resolution spectra was proposed and successfully implemented. XPS results showed that surface composition of the non-doped sample coincides with that of the bulk, while doping strongly affects surface of the samples. Sn-doped sample appears to be prone to surface oxidation. The presence of Sb2S3, Sb2O3, SnS2 and Sn(0) phases at the surface was revealed. Strong segregation of antimony was observed in the I-doped Sb2S3 sample. Iodine is also present at the surface in the form of the SbI3 phase, while the detected sulphur signal most probably corresponds to S atoms from unaltered deeper layers.