Tin Compensation for the SnS Based Optoelectronic Devices

In this paper we report the growth of high quality SnS thin films with good crystallinity deposited on two-dimensional (2D) mica substrates. It is believed that the 2D nature of SnS, with strong intra-layer covalent bonds and weak inter-layer van der Waals interactions, is responsible for its relative insensitivity to lattice mismatch. We also investigated the reduction of Sn vacancies in the material using Sn-compensation technique during the material growth process. The experimental results clearly demonstrated substantial enhancements in the electrical and structural properties for films deposited using Sn-compensation technique. A mobility of 51 cm(2) V(−1) s(−1) and an XRD rocking curve full width at half maximum of 0.07° were obtained. Sn-compensated SnS/GaN:Si heterojunctions were fabricated and significant improvement in both the I-V characteristics and the spectral responsivities of the devices were characterized.