Increasing Sn Content Research Articles

Impact of strain relaxation on the growth rate of heteroepitaxial germanium tin binary alloy

The growth of high-quality germanium tin (Ge1–y Sn y ) binary alloys on a Si substrate using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques holds immense potential for advancing electronics and optoelectronics applications, including the development of efficient and low-cost mid-infrared detectors and light sources. However, achieving precise control over the Sn concentration and strain relaxation of the Ge1–y Sn y epilayer, which directly influence its optical and electrical properties, remain a significant challenge. In this research, the effect of strain relaxation on the growth rate of Ge1–y Sn y epilayers, with Sn concentration >11at.%, is investigated. It is successfully demonstrated that the growth rate slows down by ~55% due to strain relaxation after passing its critical thickness, which suggests a reduction in the incorporation of Ge into Ge1–y Sn y growing layers. Despite the increase in Sn concentration as a result of the decrease in the growth rate, it has been found that the Sn incorporation rate into Ge1–y Sn y growing layers has also decreased due to strain relaxation. Such valuable insights could offer a foundation for the development of innovative growth techniques aimed at achieving high-quality Ge1–y Sn y epilayers with tuned Sn concentration and strain relaxation.

The Influence of Sn Addition on the Magnetocaloric Effects, Magnetic and Mechanical Properties of Fe<sub>2</sub>P-Type Mn-Fe-P-Si Compounds

Mn1.25Fe0.65-xSnxP0.50Si0.50 (0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08, 0.09, 0.10, 0.20) series compounds were prepared by mechanical alloying and solid-phase sintering, and their mechanical and magnetic properties were studied. The XRD measurement results show that all the compounds crystalize in Fe2P hexagonal structures, with a space group of P-62m. With the increase in Sn content, the compressive strength is significantly improved, the Curie temperature of the compound gradually decreases, and the nature of magnetic transition is tuned from a weak to strong first-order one, which is confirmed by the increase of thermal hysteresis of the compounds. The maximum magnetic entropy change of the compound increases from 9.3 J/kg·K at x = 0 to 17.2 J/kg·K at x = 0.04 under a magnetic field change of 0 - 3 T.

The effect of various Sn and Ca equal proportional addition on the microstructure, mechanical behavior and corrosion performance of Mg alloys

In the present study, the effects of various Sn and Ca equal proportional addition (0.3:0.1, 0.6:0.2, 1.2:0.4, wt%) on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of Mg-Sn-Ca alloys were systematically investigated. With the increase of Sn and Ca content, microstructure uniformity of the Mg-Sn-Ca alloy was improved, the average grain size was refined (from 34.4 μm to 21.62 μm, 13.47 μm), and more CaMgSn phases were generated (from 0.39 % to 1.64 %, 4.53 %). With increasing Sn and Ca content, the tensile yield strength (TYS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of Mg-Sn-Ca alloys were gradually increased (TYS: from 91.8 MPa to 98.24 and 125.05 MPa; UTS: from 187.48 MPa to 190.73 and 214.58 MPa), mainly due to the contribution of grain refinement. The electrochemical tests revealed that the corrosion resistance of the Mg-Sn-Ca alloy initially decreases and then increases with the increase of Sn and Ca contents. The hydrogen evolution volume of Mg-0.3Sn-0.1Ca alloy was 41.91 mL cm−2, and the corrosion current density was −1.54 × 10−3 A/cm2. As for Mg-0.6Sn-0.2Ca alloy, deteriorated corrosion resistance compared to the Mg-0.3Sn-0.1Ca alloy was mainly ascribed to the micro-galvanic corrosion between the CaMgSn phase and Mg-matrix. The Mg-1.2Sn-0.4Ca alloy had the best corrosion resistance, with the lowest hydrogen evolution volume of 34.09 mL cm−2 and a minimum current density of −1.15×10−3 mA cm−2, its high corrosion resistance could be attributed to the grain refinement and homogenous distributed CaMgSn phase and more generated Ca(OH)2 product film with dense-structure.

Experimental and theoretical results of gamma shielding features for copper based shape memory alloys

In this study, the gamma ray attenuation characteristics for CuAlNi shape memory alloys with different proportions of Sn doping was investigated. We determined the mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ) of CuAlNiSn alloys both experimentally and theoretically within an energy range of 59.5–1332.5 keV. The experimental measurements were made using a high purity Germanium detector (HPGe) and theoretical calculations were made using WinXCOM program. To evaluate the gamma radiation shielding abilities of the alloy samples, the obtained (μ/ρ) values were used to determine the gamma protection parameters μ, HVL, TVL, MFP, and Zeff. In addition, the radiation protection efficiency (RPE) parameter was determined using gamma ray intensities in the absence and presence of the attenuator. Further analysis of the samples was conducted using a Rigaku Miniflex 600 model computer-controlled X-ray diffractometer (CuKα & λ = 1.5405 A0). The crystallographic structure of the alloys before and after irradiation was investigated. Other analysis which include EDX analysis (to investigate the chemical content) and SEM analysis (to investigate the microstructure) were conducted. According to result outcomes, gamma ray radiation did not affect the shape memory properties of structure. Another interesting observation is that, the radiation attenuation properties increase with increasing Sn concentration. Finally, we discovered that the CuAlNiSn4 alloy (which has the highest doping rate) provides good protection especially at low energy levels.

Effect of Mo and Sn co-regulation on low alloy steel corrosion in tropical marine atmosphere

The influence of co-regulating Mo and Sn on the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel in tropical marine atmospheric was investigated. The combined addition of Mo and Sn has been found to significantly improve the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, augmenting the protective capabilities of the rust layer. This combined addition promotes the formation of protective compounds like α-FeOOH and FeCr2O4 within the alloy rust layer. Furthermore, it facilitates the conversion of Cr, Ni and Cu into corrosion-resistant oxides such as Cr2O3, NiFe2O4 and CuO, thereby enhancing the density of the rust layer. Additionally, as corrosion progresses over time, higher levels of Sn addition lead to increased Sn content within the inner rust layer, consequently bolstering the protective qualities of the rust layer. This comprehensive understanding sheds light on the synergistic effects of Mo and Sn in fortifying the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, offering insights for the development of advanced corrosion-resistant materials in marine environments.

Infrared optical properties of SiGeSn and GeSn layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The infrared optical properties of thick GeSn films (>500 nm) having 10% Sn concentration and of SiGeSn layers, utilized for the growth of strain-relieved, direct-gap GeSn films by molecular beam epitaxy, are investigated. Two growth methods are used: a graded-growth structure and a stepped-growth structure that help us to illustrate the properties of the GeSn and SiGeSn layers. Interestingly, there can be strong absorption in SiGeSn films throughout the infrared. We observe an increase in infrared absorption with increasing Sn concentration up to 21% Sn and in films, where the Sn is held constant at 18%, with increasing Si concentration up to 30%. Cavity effects in the infrared transmission measurement of stepped-growth structures are observed and associated with reflections at growth interfaces. Si–Si bond formation is proposed to occur at high Si concentrations in SiGeSn films, and the bandgap in SiGeSn films appears to decrease with increasing Si and Sn concentrations.

Chalcogenide perovskites for solar energy applications: The role of Sn substitution in BaZrS3-based photovoltaic devices

This study investigates the photovoltaic potential of the chalcogenide perovskite BaZr1-xSnxS3, where x values of 0, 0.125, and 0.250 were chosen. The band gap of BaZrS3 (1.7 eV) is slightly larger than the optimal band gap for single-junction devices, and alloying with Sn has been explored to tune the band gap. The photovoltaic performance of devices with different absorber layers was simulated using the SCAPS-1D solar cell simulator software. The results show that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases with increasing Sn content, and the optimal PCE is achieved at x = 0.125. The effects of temperature, work function of the back contact, and band offset at the ETL/absorber and absorber/HTL interfaces on the device performance were also investigated. The results show that the PCE decreases with increasing temperature, and the optimal PCE is achieved at a back contact work function of 4.8 eV. The study shows that tailoring band offset at the ETL/absorber and absorber/HTL interfaces can lead to efficiencies about 20 %, highlighting BaZr1-xSnxS3 as a promising material for future high-efficiency solar photovoltaics.

Influence of multi-doping (Zn and Sn) on the optical, and electrical properties of spray-deposited CdO thin films

This investigation has been focused on the spray-deposited pure cadmium oxide (CdO) thin films and also doped with zinc (Zn) and tin (Sn), as a transparent conducting oxide for optoelectronic applications. By varying the concentration of Sn (0–2%) into CdO, the microstructural, morphological, and optoelectronic properties were investigated. XRD spectra confirmed the polycrystalline cubic structure of the pure, doped, and co-doped CdO films. SEM investigation reveals the crack-free homogeneous cauliflowers-like morphology of the fabricated thin films. The existence of elemental compositions such as Cd, Zn, Sn, and O in the prepared films was confirmed by EDS analysis. All of the doped and co-doped CdO films showed good transparency in the visible range. Moreover, a slight increment has been found in the optical band gap from 2.43 eV to 2.50 eV with increasing Sn concentration, which can be explained by the Burstein-Moss phenomena. A decrement of Urbach energy was noted for an increased concentration of Sn. Besides, Zn and Sn (1 %) co-doped films exhibited the lowest electrical resistivity value 4.09×10−4 Ω-cm among other doped compositions. However, the addition of Zn and Sn into CdO thin films enhanced the optoelectronic properties.

Efficient In Situ Doping of Strained Germanium Tin Epilayers at Unusually Low Temperature

AbstractEfficient p‐ and n‐type in situ doping of compressively strained germanium tin (Ge1‐xSnx) semiconductor epilayers, grown by chemical vapor deposition on a standard Si(001) substrate, is demonstrated. Materials characterization results reveal unusual impact of dopants manifesting via a pronounced reduction of Sn content in the epilayer, accompanied by an enhancement of the growth rate, due to increasing p‐type doping concentration. Furthermore, the opposite behavior for n‐type doping is observed, resulting in a less pronounced increase of Sn concentration and no effect on growth rate. Nevertheless, a very high density of electrically active holes up to ≈4 × 1020 cm−3 is obtained in p‐type doped Ge1‐xSnx epilayer resulting in the lowest resistivity of 0.15 mΩ cm among all in situ doped epitaxial and strained group‐IV semiconductors. Also, the metal‐to‐insulator transition in Ge1‐xSnx is experimentally demonstrated for doping levels above 1 × 1017 cm−3, which is substantially lower than in any group‐IV semiconductor, and theoretically predict it to be as low as ≈1 × 1017 cm−3. The findings enabled by the doping regime explored in this work can open novel prospects to engineer low resistivity contacts and charge current injection in applications covering next‐generation transistors, qubits, diodes, electrically driven light sources, sensors and hybrid quantum devices.

Influence of tin additions on the corrosion passivation of TiZrTa alloy in sodium chloride solutions

Abstract In this study, the fabrication of Ti-12%Zr-4%Ta-2%Sn alloy, Ti-12%Zr-4%Ta-4%Sn alloy, and Ti-12%Zr-4%Ta-6%Sn alloy using powder metallurgy fabrication technique has been carried out. The influence of Sn addition on the corrosion of these alloys after 30 min and 3 days in 3.5% NaCl solution using various techniques has been reported. The Nyquist spectra revealed that boosting Sn content from 2 to 4% and further to 6% increases the corrosion resistance of the alloy through increasing the diameter of the obtained semicircle. Bode spectra also elucidated that the increased percentage of Sn increases the values of the impedance of the interface |Z| and the maximum degree of the phase angle (Φ). It was indicated from the cyclic polarization curves that the increased Sn content increases the passivation of the alloy through decreasing its rate of corrosion and increasing its corrosion resistance. The measured current over time at −0.10 V showed that the alloy with low Sn content, 2%, records the highest currents, which pronouncedly decreases when Sn content increases to 4% and further to 6%. Prolonging the time of exposure from 30 min to 3 days greatly enhances the passivation of the TiZrTaSn alloys due to the formation of mixed oxides of TiO2, ZrO2, TaO2, and SnO2. The results of these electrochemical measurements were confirmed by the surface investigations carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results collectively proved that the uniform corrosion remarkably decreases with the increase in the Sn% and that the pitting corrosion is not likely to take place.

Chelating Dual Interface for Efficient and Stable Crystal Growth and Iodine Defect Management in Sn-Pb Perovskite Solar Cells.

Suppressing Sn2+ oxidation and rationally controlling the crystallization process of tin-lead perovskite (Sn-Pb PVK) films by suitable bonding methods have emerged as key approaches to achieving efficient and stable Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, the chelating coordination is performed at the top and bottom interfaces of Sn-Pb PVK films. The chelation strength is stronger toward Sn2+ than Pb2+ by introducing oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) at the bottom interface. This difference in chelation strength resulted in a spontaneous gradient distribution of Sn/Pb within the perovskite layer during crystallization, particularly enhancing the enrichment of Sn2+ at the bottom interface and facilitating the extraction and separation of photogenerated charge carriers in PSCs. Simultaneously, this top-down distribution of gradually increasing Sn content slowed down the crystallization rate of Sn-Pb PVK films, forming higher-quality films. On the top interface of the PVK, trifluoroacetamidine (TFA) was used to inhibit the generation of iodine vacancies (VI) through chelating with surface-uncoordinated Pb2+/Sn2+, further passivating defects while suppressing the oxidation of Sn2+. Ultimately, the PSCs with simultaneous chelation at both top and bottom interfaces achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.31% and an open-circuit voltage (VOC) exceeding 0.90 V. The stability of unencapsulated target devices in different environments also improved.

Effect of tin doping on the structural, optical, and dielectric properties of unintentionally β-Ga2O3 single crystal

This paper studied the structural, optical, electrical, and dielectric properties of the undoped and 0.05 mol% Sn-doped β-Ga2O3 single crystals through comprehensive characterizations by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, Optical transmittance spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet photoelectron (UPS) spectroscopy, and dielectric measurements. The optical bandgap decreases as Sn content increases. The results of XPS showed that Sn atoms were successfully added to the host β-Ga2O3 crystal. The position of the Fermi level of 0.05 mol% Sn-doped β-Ga2O3 is calculated to be 2.56 eV above the valence band and 1.85 eV beneath the conduction band. Also, the computed value of the work function of 0.05% mole Sn-doped β-Ga2O3 is 4.53 eV. AC conductivity increases, while dielectric loss and dielectric constant decrease with increasing frequency.

Effects of normalizing process on microstructure, texture, and precipitates of Sn bearing oriented silicon steel

Low temperature heating process of the slab has become the mainstream process for producing high quality oriented silicon steel due to its environmental protection, low cost, and high yield. For this process, the number of inhibitors is less and the size is large, resulting in insufficient inhibition, coarsen grains during primary recrystallization, and insufficient driving force for secondary recrystallization, which reduces the magnetic properties of the product. These shortcomings can be improved by optimizing the inhibitors and normalizing processes. The effects of normalizing processes on the microstructure, texture, and precipitations of low-temperature oriented silicon steel containing Sn were studied by OM, SEM, TEM, and EBSD with Fe–3%Si hot-rolled plate as initial material. The experimental results show that the sample has the best performance in terms of microstructure, texture, and precipitations with the two-stage boiling water cooling normalizing process that the heating temperature is 1150 °C, and the normalizing intermediate temperature is 850 °C. With the above parameters, the microstructure is inhomogeneous along thickness. There are more {111}<112> textures, which are favorable to the growth of Goss texture. The proportion of high energy grain boundary reached 54.2%. The precipitates are significantly refined, which enhances the ability to inhibit primary recrystallization. The sub-surface thickness of the hot rolled plate increases from 40.6% to 62.1% with increasing Sn content from 0.01% to 0.11%. The degree of tin segregation at grain boundary increases with the increase of normalizing temperature and the decrease of medium soaking temperature.

A combined theoretical and experimental study on vertically aligned ZnO and ZnO: Sn

Vertically aligned ZnO and Sn (5, 10 v/v%) doped ZnO microrods were produced using chemical bath deposition technique on ZnO seed layers fabricated on glass substrates by spin coating method. The thickness of the seed layer is 365 nm and the length of the ZnO and ZnO:Sn rods are in the range of 1–5 μm. The length of the rods decreases with increasing Sn concentration. The structural, morphological, elemental compound, electrical and optical properties of ZnO and ZnO:Sn films were investigated using x-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, two probe method and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, respectively. The electronic structure of ZnO and Sn doped ZnO is calculated depending Density Functional Theory thanks to the WIEN2k program. Based on experimental and theoretical calculations, the band gap energy decreases with increasing Sn concentration. The band gap energy of seed layer, pure ZnO, Sn (5%) and Sn (10%) doped ZnO films was estimated as 3.27 eV, 3.18 eV, 3.14 eV and 3.12 eV, respectively. The band gap energy of Sn (1 atom) and Sn (2 atom) doped ZnO calculated theoretically was found as 0.392 eV and 0.245 eV, respectively. The Fermi Energy shifting towards the conduction band was observed upon Sn doping. Sn (5%) doped ZnO film shows the highest electrical conductivity although its band gap energy is higher than that of Sn (10%). The highest conductivity is attributed to the lowest dislocation density and less oxygen vacancies in the structure.

Influence of Sn addition on the phase formation, microstructure and magnetic properties of Mn-Bi alloy ribbons

In this work, the phase formation, microstructure and magnetic properties of Mn54Bi46−xSnx (x = 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4) alloy ribbons fabricated by melt-spinning method combined with annealing were investigated. The fraction of the low-temperature MnBi phase (LTP-MnBi) depends not only on the Sn concentration but also on the annealing regime. In the as-quenched ribbons, the fraction of the LTP-MnBi decreases monotonically from 38.1 to 21.1 wt% when the Sn concentration increases from 0 to 4 at%. Meanwhile, the fraction of this phase increases significantly from 69.0 to 83.2 wt% when the Sn concentration changes from 0 to 2 at% and tends to decrease upon further increasing the Sn concentration to 4 at% for the ribbons annealed at 250 °C for 16 h. Saturation magnetization, Ms, of the annealed samples changes consistently with the fraction of LPT-MnBi and reaches a maximum value of 70.4 emu/g in the sample with Sn concentration of 2 at%. The addition of Sn also aids in refining the grains, leading to an improvement in the hard magnetic properties of the material. The coercivity, Hc, of the alloy ribbons tends to increase as the Sn concentration increases and changes non-monotonically with annealing time. The maximum energy product, (BH)max, reached 5.5 MGOe in the sample with x = 2, demonstrating the promise of Mn-Bi based alloys in practical applications. The density functional theory calculations were also performed to clarify the effect of Sn addition. The calculated results confirmed the decrease in the lattice parameters with Sn substitution in the experimental data. The total magnetic moment per formula unit and the evaluated saturation magnetization are 3.62 µB and 78.28 emu/g, respectively, for Sn substitution of ∼3.1 at%. (Although the total magnetic moment decrease with doping, the saturation magnetization per unit mass could be improved.)

Effect of Sn addition on mechanical, wear, and electrochemical properties of Ti-Al-Sn alloys

This study aims to investigate the effect of Sn content on the structural, mechanical, wear, and electrochemical properties of Ti-6Al-xSn (x = 3.5–17.5, wt%) alloys fabricated by powder metallurgy method. The results showed that the microhardness generally decreased with increasing Sn content, although there was an unusual increase in microhardness in the alloy with 10.5 wt% Sn. Depending on the Sn content, various phases such as α-Ti, Ti3Sn, and Ti3Al indicated complex phase formations. The flexural and tensile strengths increased up to 10.5 wt% Sn content, but the strengths reduced above this level. The maximum values for flexural and tensile strengths were obtained as 270 MPa and 125.8 MPa, respectively. With increasing Sn content, the fracture surfaces shifted from cleavage mode to mixed brittle and ductile failure modes. The wear tests were conducted in two different environments: dry and wet conditions. Considering dry sliding conditions, the lowest specific wear rate was obtained as 0.85 × 10−6 mm3/N·m in the alloy coded 3.5Sn at a sliding distance of 1500 m. On the other hand, the highest wear was measured as 2.89 × 10−6 mm3/N·m in the 17.5Sn coded sample at a sliding distance of 6000 m in wet conditions. The wear results demonstrated a relationship between mechanical properties and wear resistance, which was influenced by the existence of porosity. The Ti-6Al-7Sn alloy exhibited the best corrosion resistance with a 2.22 × 10−7 icorr value, while the one with Ti-6Al-17.5Sn alloy showed the worst performance with a 9.71 × 10−6 icorr value.

A novel (CuMnNi)100-xSnx medium entropy bronze alloys with excellent mechanical properties and wear resistance

Cu-Mn-Ni-based medium-entropy bronze (MEB) alloys exhibit attractive compressive strength and ductility, making them highly promising for structural applications in comparison to conventional copper alloys. Here, a series of (CuMnNi)100-xSnx (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20, mass ratio) MEB alloys were fabricated using the induction melting technique, and the effects of Sn content on the phase formation, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties were extensively studied. Additionally, the tribological properties of the MEB alloys were investigated and compared with the conventional aluminum bronze C6161 alloy. The results indicate that adding Sn element promotes the formation of body-centred cubic (BCC) phase in the MEB alloys and causes a distinct microstructure transition from the single face-centered cubic (FCC) phase to the duplex phase structure consisting of FCC and BCC. Benefiting from the solid solution strengthening induced by Sn atoms and the formation of hard BCC phase, the MEB alloys exhibit significantly enhanced hardness, yield strength, and compressive strength as the Sn content increases from 0 to 20 wt%. The wear resistance of the MEB alloys improves with increasing Sn content, surpassing that of the C6161 alloy when x exceeds 5. The competitive mechanical and tribological properties of the MEB alloys are primarily attributed to the synergistic effect between the ductile FCC phase and the hard BCC phase.

Control of NLO and photocatalysis properties based on the use of Sn-doped ZnO thin films for optoelectronics applications

Thin films of zinc oxide (ZnO) have unique properties that make them suitable for various applications. In this study, we used a spray pyrolysis process to develop undoped ZnO and ZnO doped with Sn thin films on a glass substrate. We aimed to investigate the effect of Sn concentration on the optical, nonlinear optical, and structural properties of ZnO:Sn thin films. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all the deposited ZnO thin films exhibit polycrystalline hexagonal structures well-oriented along the c-axis. The obtained films were transparent in the visible range, with a transmittance between 70% and 80%. The optical energy bandgap values for the films varied from 3.16 eV to 3.29 eV. We also determined the second- and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities, which decreased with increasing Sn concentration. We investigated the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO-doped Sn thin films using methylene blue dye under visible light. Sn doping enhanced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO thin films, with constant rate values of 0.00046 and 0.00074 min[Formula: see text] for ZnO and ZnO:Sn thin films, respectively.

Effect of Sn on stacking fault energies in zirconium and its hydrides

Hydrogen embrittlement in Zr-alloy fuel cladding is a primary safety concern for water-based nuclear reactors. Here we investigated the stabilization of planar defects within the forming hydrides by Sn, the primary alloying element of Zircaloy-4 used in the cladding. In order to explain the formation of hydrides and planar defects observed in our experiments, we performed atomic-scale calculations focusing on the solute interactions with generalized stacking faults in hcp α-Zr and fcc zirconium hydrides. Our calculations showed that an increase in Sn concentration leads to a stabilization of stacking faults in both the α-Zr and hydride phases. However, the solution enthalpy of Sn is lower in the α-Zr as compared to the other hydride phases, indicative of two competing processes of Sn depletion/enrichment at the Zr hydride/matrix interface. This is corroborated by experimental findings, where Sn is less soluble in hydrides and is mostly found trapped at interfaces and planar defects, indicative of stacking faults inside the hydride phases. Our systematic investigation enables us to understand the presence and distribution of solutes in the hydride phases, which provides a deeper insight into the microstructural evolution of such alloy's properties during its service lifetime. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Effect of Sn nanoparticles on the optical properties of PEDOT:PSS thin films

Introduction: In this study, we focus on enhancing the optical properties of PEDOT:PSS thin films by incorporating pure Sn nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using the ultrasonic ablation technique. The objective is to investigate the impact of Sn concentration on the optical characteristics of the films, with a specific emphasis on applications in organic solar cells.Methods: We systematically varied the concentrations of Sn in PEDOT:PSS thin films and characterized their optical properties. The index of refraction (n) and extinction coefficient (k) were precisely determined by analyzing the transmission and reflection spectra of the films. Additionally, Sellmeier’s dispersal model was employed to elucidate the obtained results of n, and dispersive factors were calculated and interpreted.Results: The incorporation of Sn nanoparticles led to improvements in the energy bandgap (Eg) values of PEDOT:PSS films. Notably, as the concentration of Sn increased, the n values decreased, indicating enhanced suitability for organic solar cell applications. The study also unveiled a decrease in the dielectric constant of PEDOT:PSS/Sn films with increasing Sn content, resulting in improved transmittance velocity and enhanced efficacy of microelectronic devices. This, in turn, promotes the development of large-frequency and large-velocity stretchy circuit boards.Discussion: The comprehensive assessment of optical and dielectric parameters, including complex dielectric constant, complex optical conductance, and nonlinear optical constants, provides valuable insights into the potential applications of PEDOT:PSS/Sn films. The larger nonlinear optical constants observed in the present films suggest their suitability for diverse applications such as all-optical switching, limiting, phase modulation, and frequency conversion. Overall, our findings highlight the promising potential of Sn-incorporated PEDOT:PSS thin films in advancing the field of optoelectronics and microelectronics.