Structural investigations of SnS1-xSex solid solution synthesized from chalcogeno-carboxylate complexes of organo-tin by colloidal and solvent-less routes.

Tin chalcogenides are important semiconducting materials due to their non-toxic nature, cost effectiveness and layered structure. In this study, a facile synthetic route has been employed for the synthesis of a bis(selenobenzoato)dibutyltin(iv) complex, and used along with the bis(thiobenzoato)dibutyltin(iv) complex, as single source precursors, to prepare binary tin chalcogenides and their solid solution (SnS1-xSex) in the entire range. The synthesis of the solid solution was carried out by colloidal and melt methods. The comparative analysis of the solid solution obtained from both routes indicates that the colloidal method provides superior control over composition. The UV-Vis-NIR analysis showed a gradual change in the band gap, while moving from SnS to SnSe.