Anisotropic behaviour of semiconducting tin monosulphoselenide single crystals

Single crystals of ternary mixed compounds of group IV-VI in the form of a series, SnS_xSe_1-x (wherex = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1), have been grown using direct vapour transport technique. The grown crystals were characterized by the X-ray diffraction analysis for their structural parameter determination. All the grown crystals were found to be orthorhombic. The microstructure analysis of the grown crystals reveals their layered type growth mechanism. From the Hall effect measurements Hall mobility, Hall coefficient and carrier concentration were calculated with all crystals showingp-type nature. The d.c. electrical resistivity measurements perpendicular toc-axis (i.e. along the basal plane) in the temperature range 303–453 K were carried out for grown crystals using four-probe method. The d.c. electrical resistivity measurements parallel to c-axis (i.e. perpendicular to basal plane) in the temperature range 303–453 K were carried out for the same crystals. The electrical resistivity measurements showed an anisotropic behaviour of electrical resistivity for the grown crystals. The anisotropic behaviour and the effect of change in stoichiometric proportion of S and Se content on the electrical properties of single crystals of the series, SnS_xSe_1-x (wherex = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1), is presented systematically.