Low temperature and controlled synthesis of Bi2(S1−xSex)3 thin films using a simple chemical route: effect of bath composition

• Main Authors: Salunkhe, Manauti M, Khot, Kishorkumar V, Sahare, Sanjay H, Bhosale, Popatrao N, Bhave, Tejashree
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra07372c

Nanostructured bismuth sulphoselenide (Bi 2 (S 1− x Se x ) 3 ) thin films have been synthesized using a simple, cost-effective chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at room temperature (300 K). Structural, compositional, morphological and optical characterization and photoelectrochemical performance testing of these Bi 2 (S 1− x Se x ) 3 thin films has been carried out. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study demonstrates that these thin films are nanocrystalline in nature with pure orthorhombic crystal structures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) show that the deposited thin films are nearly stoichiometric in nature. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) reveals different morphologies for the Bi 2 (S 1− x Se x ) 3 thin films. The linear nature of the plots seen in the UV-Vis-NIR absorption study confirms the direct allowed type of transition. J - V measurements with a solar simulator were carried out for all samples and the highest photoconversion efficiency, 0.3845%, has been recorded for the Bi 2 Se 3 thin film. The significant boost in photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance might be due to the larger surface area with lower dislocation density and microstrain with a lower level of grain boundary resistance of Bi 2 Se 3 thin films. Nanostructured Bi 2 (S 1− x Se x ) 3 thin films were synthesized using a simple chemical bath deposition method at room temperature, and their photoelectrochemical performance was tested.