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Ferroelectric ZnSnS3 thin films: growth and measurement of photovoltaic properties

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Abstract

The theoretically predicted ferroelectric ZnSnS3 film was successfully grown for the first time using spray pyrolysis technique. The trigonal structure of the films with x-ray diffraction peaks corresponding to (110), (211), (01-1), and (210) planes of ZnSnS3 were observed. The direct energy band gap (\(\sim\)2.62 eV) and an indirect gap (\(\sim\)1.63 eV) of the films were estimated from the optical reflectivity spectra, and a broad photoluminescence emission peak was detected at around 2.58 eV. A band diagram was proposed to explain the optical properties of the film. The P–E measurement revealed that the grown ZnSnS3 films were ferroelectric with a saturated polarization value of 20.5 \(\upmu {\text{C}}/{\text{cm}}^{2}\). The Ni/ZnSnS3/FTO device shows a sizeable photovoltaic response with a maximum of 1.07 V (Voc) and 1.03 µA (Isc) under 532 nm light illumination with 14.92 mW/cm2 power density. The nature of the observed current–voltage characteristics curves of Ni/ZnSnS3/FTO device for two different polarization states was explained considering the formation of potential barriers at the Ni/ZnSnS3/FTO interfaces and its modulation by the polarization-induced depolarization field. The overall photovoltaic response of the Ni/ZnSnS3/FTO system was predominant by the depolarization field over the internal bias field due to the Schottky effect at the interfaces. The maximum responsivity value at zero-bias conditions for ZnSnS3films was \(1.45 {\upmu A}/{\text{W}}\).The ferroelectric ZnSnS3 could be a potential candidate for ferroelectric-based photodetector devices in the visible and near-infrared regions of the optical spectrum.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB, DO No. CRG/2019/004571), New Delhi. The BL-13 beamline of Indus2 synchrotron radiation facility at RRCAT is highly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Presidency University, 86/1, College Street, Kolkata, 700 073, India

    Md. Mohsin & A. Nayak

  2. Surface Physics and Material Science Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, 700 064, India

    S. Bhunia

  3. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400 094, India

    S. Bhunia

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  3. A. Nayak
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Contributions

MM: Methodology, experimental data acquisition, conceptualization, and review. SB: Methodology, experimental data acquisition, conceptualization, and review. AN: Supervision, conceptualization, data acquisition methodology, writing, review, and editing.

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Correspondence to A. Nayak.

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Mohsin, M., Bhunia, S. & Nayak, A. Ferroelectric ZnSnS3 thin films: growth and measurement of photovoltaic properties. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 34, 2194 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-11545-w

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