Effects of Pb nanosheets substrates on the optical and electrical properties CrSe thin films

Abstract Herein the effects of lead nanosheets substrates on the optical and electrical properties of chromium selenide thin films were studied. Chromium selenide thin films were grown by vacuum thermal evaporation technique onto glass and 100 nm thick lead nanosheets substrates. The effects of Pb nanosheets on the structural, morphological, compositional, optical and electrical properties was explored. While films grown onto glass substrates showed compositional stoichiometry forming CrSe 2 phase those coated onto Pb substrates preferred the growth CrSe phase. Both films were of amorphous structure and exhibited direct and indirect allowed optical transitions. Pb nanosheets enhanced the optical absorption of chromium selenide in the visible and ultraviolet ranges of light. Formation of films onto Pb nanosheets resulted in band gaps and band tails narrowing and decreased the room temperature electrical conductivity ( σ ) as well. Deep analyses of the σ − T variations in the range of 25–340 K showed that the electronic transport is dominated by the thermal excitation and variable range hopping of charge carriers. It was observed that Pb nanosheets increased the average hopping energy and hopping range, decreased the density of localized states near the Fermi level and increased the degree of state disorder. The features of glass/CrSe 2 and Pb/CrSe films are promising for using then in optoelectronic technology.