Investigation of structural, optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties of nanocrystalline AgSbSe ₂ thin films

AgSbSe2 thin films were successfully synthesised on glass substrates using a low-cost chemical bath deposition technique. The objective of this study was to investigate their structural, optical, electrical, and thermoelectric properties. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of nanocrystalline films with a cubic structure, while EDAX verified near-stoichiometric composition. Optical studies revealed a high absorption coefficient and an indirect band gap of 1.02 eV. Electrical measurements showed semiconducting behaviour with conductivity increasing with temperature and two conduction mechanisms with activation energies of 0.020 and 0.137 eV. The Seebeck coefficient was positive, confirming p-type conductivity, with carrier concentration of the order of 1018 cm−3. The films exhibited moderate mobility and good thermoelectric response. Overall, the results indicate that AgSbSe2 thin films are promising for optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications, although further optimisation is required to improve their performance.