Exploring the Optical Dynamics in the ITO/As2Se3 Interfaces

Abstract

In this work, the effects of indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates on the structural, compositional, optical dielectric and optical conduction properties of arsenic selenide thin films are investigated. The As2Se3 films which are prepared by the thermal deposition technique under vacuum pressure of 10?5 mbar exhibit an induced crystallization process, improved stoichiometry, increased optical transmittance in the visible range of light and increased dielectric response in the infrared range of light upon replacement of glass substrates by ITO. The ITO/As2Se3 interfaces exhibit conduction and valence band offset values of 0.46 eV and 0.91 eV, respectively. The experimental optical conductivity spectra are theoretically reproduced with the help of the Drude–Lorentz approach for optical conduction. In accordance with this approach, owing to the improved crystallinity of the arsenic selenide, the deposition of As2Se3 onto ITO substrates increases the drift mobility value from ??17.6 cm2/Vs to 34.6 cm2/Vs. It also reduces the density of free carriers by one order of magnitude. The ITO/As2Se3/C heterojunction devices which are tested as band filters which may operate in the frequency domain of 0.01–3.0 GHz revealed low pass filter characteristics below 0.35 GHz and band pass filter characteristics in the remaining spectral range.