Date of Award

2025-08-01

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Physics

Advisor(s)

Jorge A. Lopez

Abstract

Tin sulfide (SnS) is theorized to be a suitable material for solar cells, but there are some difficulties that have not been overcome when making thin films that have the properties needed to compete with other materials. This work investigates the structural and optoelectronic properties of aluminum-doped SnS thin films, deposited via magnetron cosputtering physical vapor deposition at different temperatures. To characterize the films a variety of techniques were used: Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, X-Ray Reflectivity, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results show that the target stoichiometry is a relevant parameter to take into account when growing SnS thin films, the temperature plays an important role in the grain size, and incorporating aluminum significantly changes the optical properties of the film. This shows that if this approach is used for solar cell applications, growth parameters must be meticulously tweaked to obtain the desired films.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

52 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Gabriel Rodriguez Guijarro

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