Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method for the deposition of large area (∼10 cm2) tin disulfide (SnS2) thin films

Abstract Simple and versatile, the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method was used to prepare large area (∼10 cm2) SnS2 thin films of about 1.0 μm thickness, under optimized deposition conditions. The films were grown on amorphous glass and single crystal wafer of Si(111) to study the effect of substrate on the microstructure of the films. The SnS2 films on glass substrate were amorphous or consisted of fine grains, while nanocrystalline grain growth was observed in filmes on single crystalline Si(111) substrate. The surface morphology of SnS2 film on the glass substrate looked relatively smooth and homogeneous in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image. The SnS2 film exhibited n-type electrical conductivity, and had an optical bandgap of 2.6 eV. The room temperature electrical resistivity was of the order of 103 Ω-cm.