Mechanosynthesis of SbSI Targets for Pulsed Electron Deposition of Ferro-Photovoltaic Thin Films

A solvent-free, solid-state mechanochemical method was developed to synthesize the chalcohalide compound SbSI at room temperature. Dry high-energy planetary ball milling of elemental antimony, sulfur, and iodine produced a pure, stoichiometric polycrystalline SbSI powder with an orthorhombic structure. This powder was then sintered under mild thermal conditions to create dense targets. Amorphous SbSI thin films were subsequently deposited from these targets at room temperature using Pulsed Electron Deposition. The films maintained the correct stoichiometry and exhibited an optical bandgap of 1.89 eV. Post-deposition annealing at 90 °C in air successfully induced crystallization, demonstrating a viable, low-temperature, and eco-friendly route to produce polycrystalline SbSI thin films. This scalable approach has promising potential for optoelectronic and energy-harvesting applications.