Electrical properties of vacuum evaporated PbSnS3 thin films

Electrical conduction of evaporated PbSnS3 films of thickness ranging between 0.1 and 2.0 μm were studied by measuring the dc current in both parallel (planar) and transverse (cross plane) directions to the substrate surface. Conduction mechanisms relevant to various regions of the current-voltage characteristics are discussed. The obtained film conductivities were of the order 10−5 S cm−1 at room temperature and increased exponentially with increasing temperature. No consistent modification of the conductivity values and nature were observed when the films are doped with CdCl2, PbCl2 and CuI impurities. While planar conductivity activation energies were constant with voltage and increased slightly with deposition temperature, the cross plane values were found to depend on both voltage and film deposition temperature. C 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.