Solution-based Sb2Se3 thin films for microphotonics

The development of functional chalcogenide optical phase change materials holds significant promise for advancing optics and photonics applications. Our comprehensive investigation into the solution processing of Sb2Se3 thin films presents a systematic approach from solvent exploration to substrate coating through drop-casting methods and heat treatments. By employing characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, we reveal crucial insights into the structural, compositional, and morphological properties of the films as well as demonstrated techniques for control over these features to ensure requisite optical quality. Our findings, compared with currently reported deposition techniques, highlight the potential of solution deposition as a route for scalable Sb2Se3 film processing.