Tuning of Nanostructured SnSe Morphology from Rods to Flakes and its Structural, Optical and Electrical Properties

We present here the study of morphologically tuned nanostructured, SnSe, a promising material for thermoelectric applications. Using hydrothermal method of synthesis and same starting chemicals, we first obtain two different morphologies: rods and flakes. Structural, optical and electrical properties corresponding to these differently tuned morphologies of SnSe were then studied using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis-near IR Spectroscopy and four probe resistivity setup, respectively. FESEM confirms the rod and flakes morphologies, XRD patterns and its Rietveld refinement confirms the phase pure nature and yields the lattice parameters. Difference observed in the overall resistivity and optical band gap of the two samples concludes that electrical and optical properties of SnSe can be controlled via its morphology, which can be used to tune any optoelectronics device properties.