Electrochemically Deposited Iron Sulphide Material by Adjusting the Deposition Time for Photovoltaic Application
An electrochemical deposition technique was employed to synthesize FeS material. The Iron
nitrate nonahydrate (Fe(NO3)2.9H2O) and sodium sulphate (NaSO4) are part of the
electrochemical bath system. The films synthesized have a polycrystalline structure with
diffraction peaks and a preferred orientation along the (111) diffraction plane. The significance
of high peaks lies in their ability to provide a spacious surface area for efficient photovoltaic
activities. By increasing the deposition time of FeS, the film thickness decreased from 108.98
to 100.87 nm. The FeS absorbance decreases as the wavelength approaches the VIS-IR region.
The FeS material had the highest absorbance value at 30 s across the entire spectrum, averaging
a maximum of 0.072 in the ultraviolet region. The films deposited had energy band gaps
ranging from 2.12 to 1.58 eV. The energy band gap also decreased as the deposition time and
film thickness decreased. The bandgap energy range found in this study is perfect for absorbing
solar energy radiation above 1.58 eV, making it ideal for solar cell absorber layers.