Optical properties of chromium-selenide films designed for terahertz applications

Abstract

Herein the effects of indium substrates on the properties of chromium selenide thin films are reported. Chromium selenide thin films and indium substrates are prepared by the thermal evaporation technique under a vacuum pressure of 10−5 mbar. It is observed that indium sublayers alters the atomic stoichiometry of chromium selenide. It induces the formation of Cr2Se3 phase instead of CrSe2 phase which grow onto glass substrates. Both of the glass/CrSe2 and In/Cr2Se3 films displayed direct and indirect energy band gaps. The respective gaps are 2.60 eV and 3.19 eV and 2.25 eV and 2.83 eV. The Urbach tails states exhibited a width of 2.24 eV in glass/CrSe2 and showed value of 0.85 eV in In/Cr2Se3. In addition a light absorbability enhancement of more than 45% is reached at the In/Cr2Se3 interfaces in the visible range of light. Moreover, as terahertz resonators, In/Cr2Se3 films showed larger optical conductivity. It also displayed a spectral terahertz cutoff frequency in the range of 3.0–35 THz. Furthermore, when utilized as terahertz resonators, In/Cr2Se3 films demonstrate heightened optical conductivity and a spectral terahertz cutoff frequency ranging from 3.0 to 35 THz. Analyzing these terahertz oscillators using Drude-Lorentz models reveals that the density of free charge carriers increases with higher oscillator energy, while the drift mobility of these carriers within the terahertz resonators varies between 1.10 and 3.09 cm²/Vs. The array of features showcased by In/Cr2Se3 thin films, including their performance as terahertz resonators, positions them as strong contenders for applications in optical and terahertz technologies.