Electrodeposition of Sb2Se3 on indium-doped tin oxides substrate: Nucleation and growth

The mechanisms related to the initial stages of the nucleation and growth of antimony selenide (Sb₂Se₃) semiconductor compounds onto the indium-doped tin oxides (ITO) coated glass surface have been investigated using chronoamperometry (CA) technique. The fabrication was conducted from nitric acid bath containing both Sb³⁺ and SeO₂ species at ambient conditions. No underpotential deposition (UPD) of antimony and selenium onto ITO substrate was observed in the investigated systems indicating a weak precursor-substrate interaction. Deposition of antimony and selenium onto ITO substrate occurred with large overvoltage through 3D nucleation and growth mechanism followed by diffusion limited growth. FE-SEM and XRD results show that orthorhombic phase Sb₂Se₃ particles with their size between 90 and 125 nm were obtained and the atomic ratio for antimony and selenium was 2:2.63 according to the EDX results.