Chemical bath deposition of thin nanocrystalline tin(II) sulfide films with thioacetamide

Nanocrystalline tin(II) sulfide layers 100–650 nm thick were prepared by hydrochemical deposition on glass–ceramic supports from a citrate system at 323?343 K using thioacetamide as chalcogenizing agent. These films are of interest for the development of thin-film solar radiation converters based on the multicomponent compound Cu₂ZnSnS₄ of kesterite structure, prepared using a cost-saving process. Examination by scanning electron microscopy shows that tin(II) sulfide layers are formed from spherical nanocrystallites of 20–40 nm size. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that they crystallize in the orthorhombic system with the unit cell parameters a = 4.276, b = 11.243, and c = 3.986 Å. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of up to 44.86 at. % oxygen in the surface layer of the film. This oxygen is mainly present in surface contaminants and is also incorporated in SnO present on the surface.