Thermally induced structural evolution and performance of Sb2Se3 films and nanorods prepared by an easy sputtering method

Abstract An easy method of preparing well-crystallized Sb 2 Se 3 films and nanorods through magnetron sputtering was proposed, and their growth mechanism was examined. The microstructure, morphology, composition, and optical and electrical properties of the Sb 2 Se 3 films depended strongly on the substrate temperature ( T sub ). Sb 2 Se 3 films prepared at > 250 °C contained the orthorhombic phase without Sb 2 O 3 phase owing to the high-purity vacuum environment. Well-crystallized Sb 2 Se 3 films deposited at T sub = 325 °C showed compact grains with a bandgap of 1.23 eV and a high absorption coefficient of 10 5  cm −1 in the visible region. Photoelectrochemical measurements showed that Sb 2 Se 3 films were p-type semiconductors with excellent photoresponse. A clear photovoltaic effect with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.35% was measured for the first time by using the sputtering Sb 2 Se 3 films as absorbers in a photovoltaic solar cell. At T sub = 375 °C, highly uniform films with monodispersed Sb 2 Se 3 nanorods were obtained. The preferential orientation of the Sb 2 Se 3 crystals by self-organization was promoted by increasing T sub . By using the Sb 2 Se 3 nanorods as absorbers in a solar cell, good photoresponse and a PCE of 2.15% were achieved.