Unveiling the Hidden Patterns: AI-Driven Morphological and Compositional Analysis of Antimony Sulpho-telluride Thin Films Synthesized via Arrested Precipitation Technique

Antimony sulpho-telluride (Sb2(S1-x, Tex)3) thin films hold immense potential for optoelectronic applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of their morphology and chemical composition is crucial for optimizing device performance. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by investigating the structural and compositional properties of these films. To achieve this, antimony sulpho-telluride thin films were synthesized on glass substrates using the arrested precipitation technique. The morphological characteristics of the as-deposited films were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD). To precisely figure out the chemical makeup, a combination of methods was used for the first time on binary or ternary metal chalcogenide thin films. These methods includedEnergy Dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (EDAX), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and Extractive Spectrophotometry (ESP). The results obtained from these techniques reveal the correct stoichiometry of the synthesized films. Notably, the V/VI ratio increases with selenium content, indicating an increase in anti-site defects. These results highlight how crucial it is to carefully control the composition to adjust the light and electronic properties of antimony sulpho-telluride thin films. This study lays the foundation for future research aimed at optimizing these materials for specific device applications.