Bismuth trisulfide (Bi2S3)

Basic Info

Bismuth trisulfide (Bi₂S₃) has an orthorhombic crystal structure with 4 molecules per unit cell. Each molecule contains two bismuth atoms and 3 sulfide atoms which add up to 20 atoms per unit cell. Bi₂S₃ occurs naturally in the form of bismuthinite, which has a lead-gray streaked color with a metallic luster. The mineral is primarily found in Bolvia, Peru, central Europe, Austrailia, and the western United States. Bismuthinite is mainly processed to obtain pure bismuth metal or other bismuth compounds, but has also been researched for the use in photovoltaics. 1

Crystal Structure

The graph below shows peak intensities for Bi₂S₃:

PV Applications

Bi₂Si₃ thin films are prepared from several methods which include: Cathodic electrodeposition, anodic electro deposition, vacuum evaporation, hotwall method, solution-gas interface, spray deposition, and chemical bath deposition. The most common method for Bi₂Si₃ prepared films is chemical bath deposition. This is because it is simple, economic, and well suited for a large area of any configuration. 2

Bi₂Si₃ thin films prepared from chemical bath deposition reach fill factors around 46.77% and a  conversion efficiency of 0.089%. 3

Basic Parameters at 300 K

Band Structure and carrier concentration

            Graph of carrier concentration may be found in 6

Donors and Acceptors

                Impurities: Pb, Cu, Fe, As, Sb, Se, Te                                                                                                       7

Electrical Properties

        Basic Parameters of Electrical Properties

Optical properties

Refractive indices:

λ = 589.3 nm                       5

Absorption coefficient:                 α = 10⁴ cm^-1 (In the order of)                      2

Graph of optical transmittance data may be found in:9

Mechanical properties, elastic constants, lattice vibrations Basic Parameters

Developed at the University of Utah primarily by undergraduate students Jeff Provost and Carina Hahn working with Prof. Mike Scarpulla. Caitlin Arndt, Christian Robert, Katie Furse, Jash Sayani, and Liz Lund also contributed. The work was fully supported by the US National Science Foundation under the Materials World Network program award 1008302. These pages are a work in progress and we solicit input from knowledgeable parties around the world for more accurate or additional information. Contact [email protected] with such suggestions.

• 1. Materials handbook: [foundation for the science of metallurgy; compares the advantages and disadvantages of different manufacturing processes; comprehensive in approach]. New York [u.a.]: {McGraw-Hill}, 2002.
• 2. a. b. c. «Chemical deposition of Bi2S3 thin films from thioacetamide bath», Materials Chemistry and Physics, vol. 41, n.º 2, pp. 98 - 103, 1995.
• 3. «Photoelectrochemical cells based on chemically deposited nanocrystalline Bi2S3 thin films», Materials Chemistry and Physics, vol. 60, n.º 2, pp. 196 - 203, 1999.
• 4. a. b. c. d. e. f. «First-principles study of the electronic properties of A2B3 minerals, with A=Bi,Sb and B=S,Se», Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, vol. 32, n.º 4, pp. 295 - 300, 2005.
• 5. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Semiconductors Data Handbook. Berlin: Springer, 2004, p. 691.
• 6. Citekey Park2011  not found
• 7. a. b. c. «Bismuthinite». 2003.
• 8. «Bi₂S₃ as a high Z material for γ-ray detectors», IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 22, n.º 1, pp. 246 - 250, 1975.
• 9. «Structure and Composition of Chemically Deposited Thin Films of Bismuth Sulfide and Copper Sulfide Effect on Optical and Electrical Properties», Journal of The Electrochemical Society, vol. 140, pp. 754–759, 1993.