Yunpeng Wen^1,*, Bingyang Ke², Junrong Ding³

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.076587 - 26 January 2026

Abstract This study reports an active learning (AL)-guided strategy to optimize the sulfurization–selenization processing conditions of Sb₂(S,Se)₃ thin-film photovoltaic absorbers for enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE). By coupling Gaussian process modeling with iterative experimental feedback, we explored 20 targeted annealing conditions across the full compositional spectrum (x = 0–1) and identified an optimal S/(S + Se) ratio of 0.40 (x = 0.60), which yielded a band gap (Eg) of ~1.34 eV, close to the theoretical Shockley–Queisser optimum. The optimized process employed a controlled two-step 420°C anneal with sequential H₂Se→H₂S exposure, which produced large plate-like grains (300–500 nm)… More >

Herlina Marta¹, Novita Indrianti^2,*, Allifiyah Josi Nur Aziza³, Enny Sholichah⁴, Titik Budiati³, Achmat Sarifudin⁵, Yana Cahyana¹, Nandi Sukri¹, Aldila Din Pangawikan¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0145 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Corn starch (CS) is a renewable, biodegradable polysaccharide valued for its film-forming ability, yet native CS films exhibit low mechanical strength, high water sensitivity, and limited thermal stability. This study improves CS-based films by blending with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or glycerol (GLY) and using citric acid (CA) as a green, non-toxic cross-linker. Composite films were prepared by casting CS–PVA or CS–GLY with CA at 0%–0.20% (w/w of starch). The influence of CA on physicochemical, mechanical, optical, thermal, and water barrier properties was evaluated. CA crosslinking markedly enhanced the tensile strength, water resistance, and thermal stability More > Graphic Abstract

Hameed H. Ahmed¹, Thaer A. Mezher^2,*, Marwan R. Rashid³

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.12, pp. 1055-1066, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.2212.1055 - 10 December 2025

Abstract Laser ablation in liquids (LAL), a hygienic and effective method for creating high-purity nanomaterials, was used in this study to create cadmium sulfide (CdS) and silver oxide (Ag₂O) nanoparticles. The sputtering process was used to deposit the produced nanomaterials on porous silicon (PSi) substrates, and a number of assays were used to examine the samples’ structural, optical, and electrical characteristics. The CdS sample had a hexagonal crystal structure, according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, whereas the AgO sample had a cubic structure. The diameters of the nanoparticles in the two samples ranged from 22.64 nm for… More >

A. Ledesma-Juárez¹, J. F. Quintero-Guerrero², A. M. Fernández^1,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.12, pp. 1009-1018, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.2212.1009 - 06 December 2025

Abstract Indium sulphide (In₂S₃) has positioned itself as an environmentally friendly and efficient option compared to traditional CdS, used as a buffer layer in thin-film solar cells that use Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) as an absorbent material. This study provides a comparative analysis of two techniques for depositing thin films of In₂S₃: chemical bath deposition (CBD) and ultrasonic pyrolytic spraying. Their structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties were evaluated. The films obtained by pyrolytic spraying, showed adequate crystallinity and uniformity. On the other hand, the films deposited by CBD had better stoichiometry (In2:S3 ≈ 40:60% at.) and higher bandgap values More >

P. Kaushik^a,*, A. Devi^b, H. Singh^a

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 197-204, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.223.197

Abstract The structural properties of bulk as well as thin films of nanostructured Bi₁Te₁₅Se_84-x Pb_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 8) glassy alloys has been studied in this paper. Conventional melt quenching method is employed to prepare the samples of Bi₁Te₁₅Se_84-x Pb_x (0 ≤ x ≤ 8) alloys. Thin films with thickness of approximately 158nm of the obtained bulk compositions were deposited on dry cleaned glass substrates by thermal evaporation technique. The structural characterization was carried out using XRD and SEM. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) indicates that samples are nearly stoichiometric. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that they are More >

S. N. Garibova^a,b,*, А. I. Isayev^a, S. A. Rzayeva^a, F. N. Mammadov^c

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 1-9, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.221.1

Abstract The structure particulars of amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 thermally evaporated on glass substrates, as well as films annealed at temperatures of 500 and 700 K have been studied by the considering of experimentally established facts obtained from X-ray analysis and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The Debye-Scherrer and Williams-Hall methods were applied to the X-ray diffraction data for estimate the size of crystallites, interatomic distances, dislocation density and structure distortion degree. The features of heat treatment effect on numerical values of the above quantities at a given temperatures have been established. The analysis of the spectral distribution of Raman… More >

S. Çelik^a,*, M. Temiz^b

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 89-96, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.221.89

Abstract In this study, PbZnS thin films with varying concentrations of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) were successfully produced using the spray pyrolysis method. The structural, optical and surface properties of the films were systematically investigated as a function of the Pb/Zn ratio. Xray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the polycrystalline nature of the films, showing a cubic zinc blende structure with improved crystallinity as Pb content increased. Initially, with the increase in Pb concentration, larger crystallite sizes and decreased microstress were observed, but with the increase of Pb addition, the formation of secondary phases and the… More >

R. I. Jasim^a, E. H. Hadi^a, A. A. Mansour^b, S. A. Hussein^c, S. S. Chiad^a,*, N. F. Habubi^d, Y. H. Kadhim^e, M. Jadan^f,g

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 43-55, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.221.43

Abstract Using chemical bath deposition (CBD) methods and various molarities, nanostructured CdS thin films were developed. XRD assured that these films were cubic polycrystalline, containing larger grains as the solution's concentration of cadmium ions increased. Dislocation density values dropped from 79.32 to 62.90 as a result, nevertheless. Also, the strain is lowered from 30.88 to 27.50. AFM results demonstrate that these films suffer a decrease in the value of average particle size, root mean square, and roughness with the molarity concentration. SEM images show CdS thin films at various molarities (0.10, 0.15, 0.20) M, indicating reduced More >

K. Kannan^a,*, B. Manjunatha^b, T. Marimuthu^c, P. Sangeetha^d

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.2, pp. 167-175, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.222.167

Abstract Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films are extensively utilized as a window layer in photovoltaic (PV) devices due to their high transmittance, suitable bandgap, and favorable electrical properties. This work presents a comprehensive performance analysis of CdS based thin films in PV applications, examining key factors such as optical, electrical, and structural properties. The bandgap (approximately 2.42 eV) allows effective photon transmission, reducing energy losses. Critical performance metrics, including film thickness, grain size, crystallinity, and interface quality with the absorber layer, are optimized to enhance charge separation and minimize recombination losses. The study highlights the balance More >

F. Saker^a,*, L. Remache^a, D. Belfennache^b, K. R. Chebouki^a, R. Yekhlef^b

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.2, pp. 151-166, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.222.151

Abstract In this work the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method was used to synthesize Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin films on glass, silicon (Si), and porous silicon (PSi) substrates. The PSi substrates were prepared by an electrochemical etching method using different current densities at constant etching time of 5 minutes. The CdS thin films were characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical transmittance spectroscopy in the Uv visible range, and electrical characterization (I–V characteristics). The obtained results demonstrated that the morphology of the deposited materials was influenced by the… More >