Sulfide Selenide Research Articles

Growth and characterization of Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 thin films prepared by chemical-molecular beam deposition for solar cell applications

Antimony sulfide selenide, Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 (x = 0–1), is a tunable bandgap compound that combines the advantages of antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) and antimony selenide (Sb2Se3). This material shows great potential as a light-absorbing material for low-cost, low-toxicity, and highly stable thin-film solar cells. In this study, Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 thin films were deposited by chemical-molecular beam deposition on soda-lime glass substrates using antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), and sulfur (S) precursors at a substrate temperature of 420 °C. By independently controlling the source temperatures of Sb, Se, and S, Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 thin films with varying component ratios were obtained. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant changes in the surface morphology of the films depending on the elemental ratio of [S]/([S]+[Se]). Crystallites shaped like cylindrical microrods with d = 0.5–2 µm diameter and l = 3–5 µm length were grown at a certain angle on the substrate. X-ray diffraction patterns showed peaks corresponding to the orthorhombic structures of Sb2Se3, Sb2S3 and their ternary compounds Sb2(SxSe1-x)3. The optical characterization revealed a high absorption coefficient of 105 cm−1 in the visible and near-infrared light regions. The band gap of the compounds changed almost linearly from 1.2 eV to 1.36 eV with a change in the ratio of elements [S]/([S]+[Se]) from 0.03 to 0.08.

Studies on InZnMgO amorphous buffer layer for Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 solar cell

This study explores the effectiveness of an amorphous buffer layer, specifically Indium Zinc Magnesium Oxide (IZMO), as an alternative buffer in Copper Indium Gallium Sulfide Selenide (CIGSSe) solar cells. The findings reveal a significant impact on efficiency through precise adjustment of the Mg/(In+Zn+Mg) ratio (MIZM) from 0 to 0.23. The bandgap exhibits a consistent increase with an ascending Mg/(In+Zn+Mg) ratio, transitioning from 3.42 eV to 3.63 eV for IZMO prepared with Ar and from 3.18 eV to 3.53 eV for IZMO prepared with an Ar+O2 gas mixture, respectively. This rise is attributed to the augmentation of the conduction band minimum (EC) of IZMO resulting from the addition of MgO. Moreover, an increase in the Mg/(In+Zn+Mg) ratio correlates with improved conversion efficiency, escalating from 6.31 % to 9.19 %. Notably, the open-circuit voltage experiences a rise from 0.430 V to 0.520 V. This is attributed to the heightened EC of IZMO due to MgO addition, which mitigates recombination between the light-absorbing layer and the buffer layer, consequently elevating the open circuit voltage. The addition of MgO also enhances the resistance of the buffer layer, contributing to an increase in shunt resistance and a subsequent decrease in leakage current. Conversely, IZMO introduced with O2 exhibits inferior performance akin to IZO, attributable to substantial sputter damage induced by O2 introduction.

Advancing the ethanol pathway during the competitive photocatalytic CO2 reduction in a defective transition metal dichalcogenide

The photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction is a very promising approach for harvesting solar energy and recycling carbon resources. However, the native defects induced competition among different pathways for photocarriers is inevitable and negatively affects the selectivity. This work studies the competition between the vacancy induced pathway and the normal in a molybdenum sulfide selenide during photocatalytic CO2 reduction. It has been revealed that the high concentration of chalcogen vacancies can open up the carbene pathway by lowering the free energy and adjusting the adsorptions for the critical intermediates of *CH2 to attract the neighboring *CO for the C-C coupling in the ethanol production, and therefore improve the ethanol production obviously. We propose that in the design of photocatalysts for C2+ production, construction of variant active sites for the coupling of matching intermediates should be fully considered when choosing the basic materials, dopants and native defects.

A quadruple transition metal dichalcogenide for variously synergetic electron behaviors during photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction

A quadruple 2H transition metal dichalcogenide of platinum doped molybdenum selenide sulfide (MoSSe) has been achieved. The critical doping amount of Pt is estimated to be approximately 0.9 a.t.% to prevent the formation of a heterogeneous phase. It has been observed that the excess Pt beyond this critical doping level cannot be settled into the lattice of MoSSe but forms an independent metal phase of Pt nanoparticles, composing a heterostructure with MoSSe, in which the behavior of photogenerated electrons will be predominantly governed by metal Pt and transported along the pathways for gas production in the photocatalytic CO2 reduction. However, as long as Pt can be located in the lattice of MoSSe, the elemental variety of Pt doped MoSSe has provided various active sites during the photocatalytic CO2 reduction process, favoring the localized coupling of matching intermediates, consequently enhancing the production of high value-added liquid products. In essence, the successful integration of Pt into the 2H MoSSe lattice opens up diverse active sites, optimizing the photocatalytic performance on the selectivity of liquid production reduced from CO2.

Generation of stable femtosecond pulses using MoS2−xSex as the saturable absorber in Er-doped fiber laser

A new transition-metal dichalcogenide (Janus TMDs), molybdenum selenide sulfide (MoS[Formula: see text]Se[Formula: see text]), has attracted wide attention due to its unique and highly stable alloy structure, high carrier mobility and the ability to modulate the band gap based on composition. In this work, MoS[Formula: see text]Se[Formula: see text] nanosheets were prepared through liquid phase exfoliation and further prepared as a saturable absorber (SA). The nonlinear optical response was investigated by the homemade balanced twin-detector measurement system, revealing the potential of MoS[Formula: see text]Se[Formula: see text]-SA in ultrafast photonics. The SA devices exhibited good saturation absorption characteristics. By applying it to the Er-doped fiber laser, a stable mode-locked fiber laser based on MoS[Formula: see text]Se[Formula: see text]-SA was successfully achieved. The pulse width was measured to be 509 fs, with a spectral width of 6.33 nm and a maximum output power of 7.44 mW in the mode-locked state. This is the first reported instance of achieving mode-locking operation in the Er-doped fiber laser using MoS[Formula: see text]Se[Formula: see text]-SA, indicating its great potential for applications in ultrafast photonics.

Elemental Selenium-Derived Poly(sulfide selenide)s: A Platform of Photodegradable and Electrochemical Responsive Polymers

Elemental Selenium-Derived Poly(sulfide selenide)s: A Platform of Photodegradable and Electrochemical Responsive Polymers

Strategy of stacking double absorbers to gain high efficiency in silver antimony sulfide selenide-based thin film solar cell

A double absorber solar cell based on AgSb(S,Se)2 is designed. Films are prepared by spray pyrolysis; a gradient band structure is obtained by selenization. The grains of the two absorption layers intersperse with each other at their interface to form a transition zone. A PCE of 3.57% is attained.

Unraveling the atomic-level manipulation mechanism of tin-based ternary anodes via hetero-anion engineering for stable sodium ion storage

The gradual retardation of heterogeneous interface reactions during extended cycling results in significant capacity loss, particularly in the initial few cycles. This is due to the inhomogeneous distribution and structural degradation of heterointerfaces. Currently, a range of atomic-level tuning strategies are employed to enhance the intrinsic transfer characteristics for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, the defect-rich single-phase ternary tin sulfide selenide (SnSe1.33S0.67) anode is constructed via favorable heteroatom(S) introducing. Such a defective open structure employed as anodes for SIBs, delivers a superior rate performance of 452.3 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability, with a capacity retention of 535.8 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 1.0 A g−1. The exceptional performance is attributed to the rapid diffusion of ions/electrons through lattice defects and heteroatom coexistence, as well as the high tolerance for volume changes resulting from optimized phase transition modes and enhanced structural rigidity, as demonstrated by experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Through the heteroatoms injection strategy, this work offers deeper insights into the correlation between precise regulation of internal defects and superior storage performance in SIBs.

Investigation of Atomic‐Scale Mechanical Behavior by Bias‐Induced Degradation in Janus and Alloy Polymorphic Monolayer TMDs via In Situ TEM

The 2D Janus transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and alloyed TMDs are a widely studied emerging class of 2D materials that have been extensively used in electronic devices because of their excellent electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. The properties and behaviors of 2D‐materials‐based devices, such as the electrical breakdown caused by structural failure, are significant issues that have drawn considerable attention. In this study, the electrical behavior of polymorphic molybdenum sulfide selenide (MoSSe) devices is studied via in situ biasing experiments and recorded using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at the atomic scale. The selenization temperature is a key factor in the phase transition of the material, which further affects the electrical and mechanical properties of MoSSe. The effects of electron‐beam irradiation and bias voltage are also discussed through a combination of experiments and theory. Quantifying the defect coverage and defect size also helps us to understand the behavior of material degradation. Furthermore, Cs‐corrected scanning TEM is utilized to identify the evolution of the morphology. The fracture morphology of the synthesized structure also varies with the application of high voltage. The cracks and defects caused by Joule heating are studied in terms of fracture type and size.

A CTL-free homo-heterojunction antimony chalcogenide solar cell: Theoretical study

Exploring antimony chalcogenide as photovoltaic (PV) absorber material for solar cell is an appealing strategy. However, the conversion efficiency (η) of antimony chalcogenide solar cells including antimony selenide (Sb2Se3), antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) and antimony sulfide–selenide (Sb2(S,Se)3) lag far behind their Shockley−Queisser limit efficiency. Generally, the device PV performance of thin film heterojunction solar cells is mainly affected by the material properties of each functional layer, as well as the device architecture and heterointerface characteristics. Herein, a novel homo-heterojunction antimony chalcogenide solar cell without any carrier transport layer (CTL) consisting of FTO/(n)Sb2Se3/(p)Sb2Se3/(p)Sb2S3/Metal has been proposed. The influence of thickness, doping concentration and bulk defect density of the functional layer materials, the interface defect density at (p)Sb2Se3/(p)Sb2S3 heterointerfaces, and back contact metal work function on device PV performance have been theoretically analyzed utilized wxAMPS software. After optimization, the proposed solar cell has an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.885 V, a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 36.14 mAcm−2, a filling factor (FF) of 84.30 %, and a η of 26.97 %. These results indicate that the novel homo-heterojunction antimony chalcogenide solar cell without any CTL have the potential to become a high-efficiency PV device.

2D Amorphous Iron Selenide Sulfide Nanosheets for Stable and Rapid Sodium-Ion Storage.

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) suffer from large electrode volume change and sluggish redox kinetics for the relatively large ionic radius of sodium ions, raising a significant challenge to improve their long-term cyclability and rate capacity. Here, it is proposed to apply 2D amorphous iron selenide sulfide nanosheets (a-FeSeS NSs) as an anode material for SIBs and demonstrate that they exhibit remarkable rate capability of 528.7 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 and long-life cycle (10000 cycles) performance (300.4 mAh g-1 ). This performance is much more superior to that of the previously reported Fe-based anode materials, which is attributed to their amorphous structure that alleviates volume expansion of electrode, 2D nature that facilitates electrons/ions transfer, and the S/Se double anions that offer more reaction sites and stabilize the amorphous structure. Such a 2D amorphous strategy provides a fertile platform for structural engineering of other electrode materials, making a more secure energy prospect closer to a reality.

A Review of Carrier Transport in High‐Efficiency Sb2(S,Se)3 Solar Cells

As a kind new photovoltaic material, antimony sulfide–selenide (Sb2(S,Se)3) thin films have been considered a promising low‐cost solar cell absorption layer material due to their excellent photoelectric performance and stability. Continued research and development efforts have significantly increased the power conversion efficiency of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells over the past few years, which now exceeds 10%. High device performance requires efficient carrier collection and transport. A deeper understanding of the carrier‐transport process can guide the optimization of solar cell designs and materials. Herein, the factors affecting carrier transport combined with the crystal structure in Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells are discussed. Recent advances in carrier management strategies to overcome the recombination losses are also discussed, broadly categorized into two main approaches: regulation of the absorption layer and optimization of the device interface contacts. Furthermore, the possible future research directions of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells are prospected.

Antimony sulfide selenide thin film solar cells prepared from thermal evaporation sources produced via chemical reactions

Continued research during the past twenty years has contributed toward an increase in the conversion efficiency of antimony sulfide selenide thin film solar cells above 10%. Hence, new methodologies to open-up this research are relevant. Here, antimony sulfide selenide thin film solar cells were prepared by thermal evaporation from Sb2SxSe3-x sources obtained via an in-situ reaction of SbCl3, Se and Sb2S3 for a desired mole-ratio. A thin film (175 nm) of Sb2S2.1Se0.9 prepared this way with a bandgap (Eg) of 1.67 eV and photoconductivity, 10 −6 Ω– 1 cm– 1. Its solar cell, SnO2:F (FTO)/CdS(100 nm)/Sb2S2.1Se0.9 (175 nm)/C–Ag, has an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.514 V, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 11.78 mA cm – 2, and a solar-to-electric energy conversion efficiency (η) of 2.36%. Powder mixture with increased Se-content in the SbCl3 + Se + Sb2S3 mixture was produced in a tubular oven at 450 °C, and used as a source. A thin film of Sb2S0.7Se2.3 (190 nm) produced this way has an Eg of 1.29 eV and photoconductivity, 7x10 – 5 Ω – 1 cm – 1. For its solar cell, FTO/CdS(100 nm)/Sb2S0.7Se2.3 (190 nm)/C–Ag, Voc is 0.455 V; Jsc, 20.3 mA cm – 2 and η, 4.52%. This method of preparing Sb2SxSe3-x thin film solar cells of varying compositions offers versatility in vacuum thermal evaporation from sources prepared from laboratory grade reagents. Perspectives for further work to improve the solar cell efficiency are presented.

Optoelectronic studies of Copper sulfide selenide (CuSSe) nanorods for its application as a potential absorber layer in photovoltaics

CuSSe nanorods using Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent are synthesized through chemical bath deposition for its fruitful application in photovoltaic devices. A design and simulation of photovoltaic characteristics using CuSSe as a potential absorber layer have been done employing SCAPS-1D. Material properties of CuSSe are optimized prior to simulation. XRD results confirm mixed hexagonal phases of CuSe and CuS in CuSSe nanorods. HRTEM as well as FESEM images clearly exhibit the rod-shaped morphology for CuSSe. The absorption edge is continuously shifted from 476 nm for the Cu50S10Se40 to 826 nm for Cu50S40Se10 and the optical band gap changes up to 1.5eV which is the optimum value for a light absorber layer. The change in absorption edge in CuSSe alloy is attributed to the phase transition of cubic CuSe to hexagonal CuSSe structure. Photoluminescence also shows a sharp reduction of intensity as we decrease the Se/S ratio for the CuSSe nanorods which makes it a suitable active material for the photovoltaic device. The conductivity noticeably enhanced for CuSSe rods over that of CuSe and CuS. Thus for a theoretical approach, a solar cell design Al/MgF2/ZnO: B/i-ZnO/CdS/Cu-S-Se/Mo/Substrate have been made for simulation studies. The J-Vcharacteristics of the simulation show efficiency of 16.58% and 13.49% for the ternary chalcogen of band gap 1.5eV–1.7eV at absorber thickness of 2000 nm. This study thus implies that chemically synthesized CuSSe nanorods may be used as a potential absorber layer for photovoltaic applications.

Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 thin films by electrodeposition: Role of deposition potential on the formation of the solid solution and photovoltaic performance via device simulation

This work presents one-step electrodeposition of antimony sulfide selenide (Sb2(SxSe1-x)3) thin films on fluorine doped SnO2 substrates. Based on the cyclic voltammetry studies the Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 absorber layers were deposited at different potentials in the range of −0.6 to −0.72 V vs. saturated calomel electrode. The deposited films were uniform and well adhered to the substrate. The effects of the deposition potential and the post-deposition annealing treatment on the physical and chemical properties of the films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and UV–visible–NIR spectroscopy. The films were crystallized in an orthorhombic crystal structure and the formation of ternary material without any impurity phases was clear from the XRD. The optical band gap of Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 decreased with the increase of the Se concentration in the films. The Mott Schottky plot showed negative slope characteristic of p-type materials. A larger carrier concentration was obtained for films deposited at more negative potentials due to their higher Se content. Solar cells modeled on experimental data of Sb2(SxSe1-x)3 thin films were investigated via device simulation using SCAPS-1D software. The FTO/Sb2(SxSe1-x)3/SnS2 structure showed an efficiency of 11.5%, demonstrating the feasibility of SnS2 as a cadmium-free alternative to the traditional CdS buffer layer.

Mechanism and Role of Nanotechnology in Photovoltaic Cells and Applications in Different Industrial Sectors

Nanotechnology is widely used for the manufacturing of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. Applications of solar technology are based in two forms; lithium-ion and lead-acid. These cells and batteries have the capacity to store a large amount of energy longer than other ordinary batteries. The mechanism for manufacturing solar cells usually arises from the combinations of layers of single-molecule thick sheets of graphene and molybdenum diselenide. In this fact, one of common example is the fine coating of graphene with zinc oxide nanowires. Solar based cells are incorporated into the modified forms for increasing their synthetic applications. These modified forms are copper indium selenide sulfide quantum dots. Perovskite solar cells are dominating in the scientific community due to their advantages and cheap sources of solar energy. These perovskite solar cells are also composed of different metals and other combinations in order to make them functional for different purposes. The most widely implemented metals are germanium, antimony, titanium and barium. Tin (Sn)-based perovskites allow the movement of ions and electrons and significantly in the surrounding environment. There is also need in the future for valuable and mechanical designing for nanotechnolgy and their usage in industrial and commercial applications.

Molybdenum sulfide selenide ultrathin nanosheets anchored on carbon tubes for rapid-charging sodium/potassium-ion batteries

The structural stability and reaction kinetics of anodes are essential factors for high-performance battery systems. Herein, the molybdenum sulfide selenide (MoSSe) nanosheets anchored on carbon tubes (MoSSe@CTs) are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method combining with further selenization/calcination treatment. The unique tubular carbon skeletons expose abundant active sites for the well-dispersed growth of MoS2 ultrathin nanosheets on both sides of the tubular carbon skeleton. In addition, the further selenization treatment can expand the interlayer spacing of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) nanosheets and facilitate the fast sodium/potassium-ion transition and storage. When used in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), MoSSe@CTs electrode delivers a specific capacity of 486 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 and retains a stable reversible capacity of 465 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles, indicating its good cycling stability. For potassium-ion batteries (KIBs), the MoSSe@CTs composite shows a capacity of 352 mA hg−1 at 1 A g−1 and a good cycling stability (maintains at 272 mA hg−1 after 1000 cycles). This work shows informative guiding significance for exploring advanced electrode materials of sodium/potassium-ion batteries.

Nonlinear absorption and integrated photonics applications of MoSSe.

This study explores the wavelength-dependent and pulse-width-dependent nonlinear optical properties of liquid-phase exfoliated molybdenum sulfide selenide (MoSSe) nanosheets. The saturable absorption response of MoSSe nanosheets in the visible region is better than that in the near-infrared region, and the response under 6-ns pulse excitation is better than that of a 380-fs pulse. Furthermore, based on the first-principles calculations, we designed a phase modulator and optimized its structure by integrating a monolayer MoSSe into a silicon slot waveguide. The simulation results revealed that the phase shift could achieve a high optical extinction. Consequently, MoSSe exhibits satisfactory nonlinear optical properties and an excellent potential for applications in optoelectronic devices.

Cadmium selenide sulfide quantum dots with tuneable emission profiles: An electrochemiluminescence platform for the determination of TIMP-1 protein

The development of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophores with tuneable emission profiles is a key requirement in the development of multi-analyte ECL sensing platforms. This study presents the first reported use of cadmium selenide sulfide (CdSeS) quantum dots (QDs) as ECL emitters in which both the ECL emission profile and cathodic potential can be tailored by alteration of the Se/S ratio. CdSeS QDs were synthesised using an aqueous synthetic route thereby avoiding the use of organic reagents, high temperatures and inert gasses. The suitability of the CdSeS QDs to ECL sensing applications is demonstrated via the quantitative determination of TIMP-1 protein at clinically relevant concentrations. The developed cathodic ECL immunosensor exhibited a detectable linear range of 6–60 ng/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.54 ng/mL. TIMP-1 protein plays a crucial role in pregnancy, wound healing, and cancer prognosis.

S/Se dual-doping promotes the formation of active Ni/Fe oxyhydroxide for oxygen evolution reaction of (sea)water splitting

Surface reconstruction produces metal oxyhydroxide (∗OOH) active sites, and promoting surface reconstruction is essential for the design of OER electrocatalysts. In this paper, we reported that a large amount of active NiFeOOH was generated in-situ on the surface of nickel-iron sulfide selenide, thus exposing more active sites and efficiently catalyzing OER. In 1 M KOH solution, NiFeOOH(S,Se) achieves an ultra-low overpotential of 195 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2, and the Tafel slope is only 31.99 mV dec−1, showing excellent catalytic performance. When the current density is 100 mA cm−2, the over-potential of NiFeOOH(S,Se) in KOH + seawater solution is 239 mV, which is almost equivalent to 231 mV in KOH solution. The excellent OER stability of the NiFeOOH(S,Se) catalyst in alkaline electrolytes was confirmed, and the overpotential did not change significantly after 4 days of testing in KOH + seawater solution.