Growth and Characterization of Tin Diselenide Telluride (SnSe₂Te) Thin Films

Tin diselenide tellurium (SnSe₂Te) compound was prepared by melt-quenching technique from its constituent elements. The phase structure and composition of the chemical constituents present in the bulk has been determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersion X-ray analysis (EDAX) respectively. SnSe₂Te thin films were grown using direct thermal evaporation of SnSe₂Te compound material on chemically cleaned glass substrate, which were held at different substrate temperatures. Xray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to examine structure and surface morphology of the films. The studies undertaken reveal that thin films grown at 373 K are slightly crystalline whereas those at 423 K and 473 K are polycrystalline in nature and shows better crystallinity towards (001) planes as verified using XRD and SEM analysis of as deposited thin films. Bandgap of SnSe₂Te semiconductor is found to decreases from 1.52eV to 1.23eV as substrate temperature is increased from 423K to 473K, respectably.