Properties of pulse plated SnSe films

In this work, the pulse electrodeposition technique has been employed for the first time to deposit SnSe films from a bath containing Analar grade 50 mM tin chloride (SnCl₄) and 5 mM SeO₂. The XRD profile of SnSe thin films deposited at different duty cycles indicate the peaks corresponding to SnSe. Atomic force microscopy studies indicated that the surface roughness increased from 0.5 to 1.5 nm with duty cycle. The transmission spectra exhibited interference fringes. The value of refractive index at 780 nm was 2.1, this value decreased to 1.95 with decrease of duty cycle. The room temperature resistivity increased from 0.1 to 10 Ωcm with decrease of duty cycle. Photo electrochemical cell studies were made using the films deposited at different duty cycles. For duty cycles greater than 15% photo output was observed. For a film deposited at 50% duty cycle, an open circuit voltage of 0.55 V and a short circuit current density of 5.0 mA cm⁻² at 60 mW cm⁻² illumination. Capacitance voltage measurements indicated V_fb = 0.67 V (SCE) and p type, carrier density = 6.98 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³.