XRD and {sup 119}Sn Moessbauer spectroscopy characterization of SnSe obtained from a simple chemical route

Crystalline tin selenide semiconductor was synthesized by a chemical route. Selenium powder reacted with potassium boronhydride, giving a soluble selenium species potassium seleniumhydride. The reaction of potassium seleniumhydride with tin chloride produced crystalline tin selenide, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, {sup 119}Sn Moessbauer spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. The material was thermally treated, in nitrogen flow, at 300 and 600 deg. C for 2 h and the particle size evolution was studied by X-ray diffraction. The X-ray diffraction and {sup 119}Sn Moessbauer results showed that a mixture of tin oxides and orthorhombic tin selenide was obtained.