Band-Structure, Optical Properties, and Defect Physics of the Photovoltaic Semiconductor SnS

Julien Vidal; Stephan Lany; Mayeul D'Avezac; Alex Zunger; Andriy Zakutayev; Jason Francis; Janet Tate

doi:10.1063/1.3675880

Band-Structure, Optical Properties, and Defect Physics of the Photovoltaic Semiconductor SnS

Julien Vidal, Stephan Lany, Mayeul D'Avezac, Alex Zunger, Andriy Zakutayev, Jason Francis, Janet Tate

Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

SnS is a potential earth-abundant photovoltaic (PV) material. Employing both theory and experiment to assess the PV relevant properties of SnS, we clarify on whether SnS has an indirect or direct band gap and what is the minority carrier effective mass as a function of the film orientation. SnS has a 1.07 eV indirect band gap with an effective absorption onset located 0.4 eV higher. The effective mass of minority carrier ranges from 0.5 m ₀ perpendicular to the van der Waals layers to 0.2 m ₀ into the van der Waals layers. The positive characteristics of SnS feature a desirable p-type carrier concentration due to the easy formation of acceptor-like intrinsic Sn vacancy defects. Potentially detrimental deep levels due to Sn _S antisite or S vacancy defects can be suppressed by suitable adjustment of the growth condition towards S-rich.

Original language	American English
Article number	032104
Number of pages	4
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	100
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3675880 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3675880
State	Published - 16 Jan 2012

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5900-53664

Keywords

photovoltaic material
SnS
thin-film technologies

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abstract = "SnS is a potential earth-abundant photovoltaic (PV) material. Employing both theory and experiment to assess the PV relevant properties of SnS, we clarify on whether SnS has an indirect or direct band gap and what is the minority carrier effective mass as a function of the film orientation. SnS has a 1.07 eV indirect band gap with an effective absorption onset located 0.4 eV higher. The effective mass of minority carrier ranges from 0.5 m 0 perpendicular to the van der Waals layers to 0.2 m 0 into the van der Waals layers. The positive characteristics of SnS feature a desirable p-type carrier concentration due to the easy formation of acceptor-like intrinsic Sn vacancy defects. Potentially detrimental deep levels due to Sn S antisite or S vacancy defects can be suppressed by suitable adjustment of the growth condition towards S-rich.",

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AU - Vidal, Julien

AU - Lany, Stephan

AU - D'Avezac, Mayeul

AU - Zunger, Alex

AU - Zakutayev, Andriy

AU - Francis, Jason

AU - Tate, Janet

PY - 2012/1/16

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AB - SnS is a potential earth-abundant photovoltaic (PV) material. Employing both theory and experiment to assess the PV relevant properties of SnS, we clarify on whether SnS has an indirect or direct band gap and what is the minority carrier effective mass as a function of the film orientation. SnS has a 1.07 eV indirect band gap with an effective absorption onset located 0.4 eV higher. The effective mass of minority carrier ranges from 0.5 m 0 perpendicular to the van der Waals layers to 0.2 m 0 into the van der Waals layers. The positive characteristics of SnS feature a desirable p-type carrier concentration due to the easy formation of acceptor-like intrinsic Sn vacancy defects. Potentially detrimental deep levels due to Sn S antisite or S vacancy defects can be suppressed by suitable adjustment of the growth condition towards S-rich.

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Band-Structure, Optical Properties, and Defect Physics of the Photovoltaic Semiconductor SnS

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

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