From thin films to shaped platelets: effects of temperature gradient on SnS synthesis

•Vapor phase deposition is demonstrated to produce SnS platelets and films.•Morphology of SnS structures depends on gas-phase supersaturation.•Platelet shape is determined by thermodynamic equilibrium.•Kinetic plays a role in film morphology. In this work, we studied the synthesis and properties of SnS thin films and platelets obtained by vapor phase deposition under controlled pressure. Two morphological types are obtained in the same process depending on the absolute temperature and the temperature gradient inside the reactor. The growth of isolated platelets is favored by a small temperature gradient between the sublimation and deposition regions of the deposition chamber. Films are formed when there is a large temperature gradient. Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis were used to identify the phase of the synthesized samples, and polarized Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis helped us confirm the crystallographic orientation of the isolated platelets. We have carried out studies on the crystallographic shape and orientation of orthorhombic isolated platelets using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and surface energies of the crystalline planes of SnS.