Structural and optical properties of SnS nanoparticles and electron-beam-evaporated SnS thin films

SnS nanoparticles were synthesised by the precipitation method using SnCl2.2H(2)O and Na2S.xH(2)O and the nanoparticles were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. From the particles' XRD pattern, a strong peak at 2 theta = 31.5 was observed, which confirms the Herzenbergite orthorhombic crystal structure of SnS. The FTIR result also confirmed the SnS nanoparticles at 2354cm(-1) and 615cm(-1). Second, thin SnS films were prepared on a glass substrate by the electron beam evaporation technique at room temperature and annealed at 100 degrees C, 200 degrees C and 300 degrees C. The effect of the annealing temperature on structural and optical properties of the SnS films was characterised by XRD and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) analysis. From the experimental studies, optical absorption of SnS films increases with respect to the annealing temperature, while the values of band gap energy (E-g) get reduced from 1.77 to 1.57eV.