The photoelectrochemical performances of Sb-doped AgIn5S8 film electrodes prepared by chemical bath deposition

The Sb-doped AgIn5S8 films were grown on indium–tin–oxide substrates using chemical bath deposition. The X-ray diffraction patterns of samples show the polycrystalline AgIn5S8 phase in these films. With the molar ratio of Sb/Ag in the solution higher than 0.2, the conduction type of samples turns into p-type. The thickness, energy band gaps, and carrier densities of these samples are in the range of 692–1119 nm, 1.71–1.73 eV and 5.75 × 1014 to 9.85 × 1014 cm−3, respectively. The maximum photocurrent density of samples with external potential kept at 1.0 V vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode was found to be −2.73 mA/cm2 under illumination using a 300 Xe lamp system.