Influence of deposition temperature on the bandgap energy and optical characteristics of electrochemically prepared SrSe/ZrSe heterostructure

The thermoelectric advantages of chalcogenides allow for the conversion of temperature fluctuations into electrical voltage. On the other hand, thermoelectgric generators and coolers make use of strontium selenide (SrSe) and zirconium selenide (ZrSe) to enhance their energy efficiency and heat recovery in industries. In this study, the electrochemical deposition technique was employed to synthesize the SrSe/ZrSe heterostructure and to show its potential applications in electronic industries. The XRD spectrum reveals a polycrystalline cubic structure with diffraction angles of 11.93o , 13.87o , 20.71o , and 27.87o at 2 thetas. Introducing ZrSe into SrSe to form the heterostructural films enhanced the crystallinity of films, as seen from the increased peak intensity. The lowest absorbance of 2.22 eV was obtained at 50 oC for the SrSe/ZrSe heterostructure prepared using electrochemical deposition, while the pure film had a slightly higher absorbance of 2.50 eV. The absorbance of the films increases with higher precursor temperatures, showing the strong impact of temperature on synthesis. A decrease in bandgap energy from 2.37 eV to 2.22 eV resulted from SrSe/ZrSe synthesis across precursor temperatures of 40oC to 50oC, respectively.