Phase Engineering of 2D Tin Sulfides

Tin sulfides can exist in a variety of phases and polytypes due to the different oxidation states of Sn. A subset of these phases and polytypes take the form of layered 2D structures that give rise to a wide host of electronic and optical properties. Hence, achieving control over the phase, polytype, and thickness of tin sulfides is necessary to utilize this wide range of properties exhibited by the compound. This study reports on phase-selective growth of both hexagonal tin (IV) sulfide SnS₂ and orthorhombic tin (II) sulfide SnS crystals with diameters of over tens of microns on SiO₂ substrates through atmospheric pressure vapor-phase method in a conventional horizontal quartz tube furnace with SnO₂ and S powders as the source materials. Detailed characterization of each phase of tin sulfide crystals is performed using various microscopy and spectroscopy methods, and the results are corroborated by ab initio density functional theory calculations.