Synthesis, deposition and characterization of tin selenide thin films by thermal evaporation technique

Tin selenide alloy was synthesized by following simple chemical reaction method, at comparatively lower temperature of 100 degrees C, from alkaline medium using SnCl2.2H(2)O and selenium as source materials. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the particle size of the synthesized product is in nanometer scale. Using the reaction product as source material, the SnSe films were deposited on glass substrates at room temperature, 150 degrees C, 250 degrees C, 350 degrees C and 450 degrees C. Structural, elemental, optical, surface morphological and electrical properties of the as deposited films were studied by X-ray diffraction, Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis, UV-Vis-NIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Hall effect measurement techniques and the relevant details have been obtained. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.