Comparative study on the influence of transparent glass substrates for antimony telluride thin films via structural and optical properties

Abstract

Antimony telluride (Sb 2 Te 3 ) thin films were deposited on to non-and conductive-glass substrates ‒ borosilicate (BRS), indium-doped tin oxide (ITO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) using the doctor-blading technique as a white slurry precipitated from the solution during a chemical bath reaction. The study examines the influences of glass substrates on the structural and surface morphology of Sb 2 Te 3 thin films. The calculated structural parameters indicated that different glass substrates impacted the properties of Sb 2 Te 3 thin films. All optical parameters were investigated based on transmittance ( T ( λ )) and reflectance ( R ( λ )) spectra in the wavelength range of 300–1100 nm. The average energy band gap ( E g ) was calculated from the indirect ( E g i n d ) and direct ( E g d i ) energy band gaps and was estimated to be 1.44, 1.68, and 1.53 eV for BRS/Sb 2 Te 3 , ITO/Sb 2 Te 3 , and FTO/Sb 2 Te 3 , respectively. Importantly, the highest values for the χ (1) , χ (3) , and n 2 approximately of 0.0322, 1.92 × 10 −16 esu., and 5.91 × 10 −15 esu. respectively were achieved in the energy range from 2.0 to 3.5 eV for BRS/Sb 2 Te 3 . The highest β c of 86.31 cm/GW was obtained in the energy range from 1.23 to 1.65 eV. These results suggest the strong possibility of using the Sb 2 Te 3 thin film on BRS glass in nonlinear optical devices for the UV-visible region, such as optical quantum electronics, optical limiting, fast optical switching, and high-speed communication devices. This demonstration will open a new strategy and novel approach for the design and experimental fabrication of this kind of material. • Non-and conductive glass substrates were studied for the impacts of Sb 2 Te 3 thin films. • Lowest E g value correlated with the growth of Sb 2 Te 3 nanograins on borosilicate glass. • Influences of glass substrates on linear/nonlinear optical parameters were investigated. • Higher values of nonlinear optical parameters for borosilicate glass/Sb 2 Te 3 were revealed.