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Anomalous diode behavior of Cu2S/SnO2 p–n junction

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Abstract

Cu-doped SnO2 thin films present application as a gas sensor in H2S atmosphere, since the conductivity of SnO2 is increased due to the transformation of Cu into Cu2−xS. Based on this mechanism, a p–n Cu2S/SnO2 heterojunction is proposed and the electrical transport of this device is investigated. SnO2 thin films were obtained from the sol–gel by dip-coating technique, while Cu2S films were obtained from resistive evaporation. The formation of materials with low crystallinity and high disorder was analyzed by X-ray diffractograms and confirmed using optical absorption (Urbach’s energy.) The bandgaps of the materials were estimated from the Tauc plot to be  3.7 ± 0.1 eV for SnO2 and 2.5 ± 0.1 eV for Cu2S. Impedance spectroscopy measurements show an accumulation of charges in the material, which possibly occurs in the depletion layer region. In addition, it shows a charge release that can be associated with the leakage current in the device. I × V measurements show a surprising behavior, opposite to that expected for a diode, with the device conducting only under reverse bias. A model has been proposed to explain this effect considering minority charge transport and interfacial barriers formed between the materials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank financial support from FAPESP (2018/26039-4, 2018/25241-4, 2017/20809-0) and CAPES. We thank Professor Dayse I. Santos and Prof. Fenelon M. L. Pontes for XRD measurements, Prof. José H. D. Silva for measurements on UV-Vis equipment, and Prof. Carlos R. Grandini for EDX analysis.

Funding

FAPESP: Grants 2018/26039-4 (João V. M. Lima), 2018/25241-4 (Stevan B O. Santos), 2017/20809-0 (Miguel H. Boratto).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sciences, POSMAT - Post-Graduate Program in Materials Science and Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, SP, 17033-360, Brazil

    João V. M. Lima, Stevan B. O. Santos, Rafael A. Silva, Miguel H. Boratto, Carlos F. O. Graeff & Luis V. A. Scalvi

  2. School of Sciences, Department of Physics, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, SP, 17033-360, Brazil

    Miguel H. Boratto, Carlos F. O. Graeff & Luis V. A. Scalvi

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  1. João V. M. Lima
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  2. Stevan B. O. Santos
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  3. Rafael A. Silva
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  4. Miguel H. Boratto
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  5. Carlos F. O. Graeff
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  6. Luis V. A. Scalvi
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Correspondence to Luis V. A. Scalvi.

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Lima, J.V.M., Santos, S.B.O., Silva, R.A. et al. Anomalous diode behavior of Cu2S/SnO2 p–n junction. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 32, 21804–21812 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-06703-x

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