A preliminary investigation into the potential of Ge-enhanced Cu₂SnS₃ (CTS) thin-film applications for water-splitting photoelectrodes

This study explores the potential of Ge-enhanced Cu₂SnS₃ (CTS) thin-films as photoelectrode materials for water splitting grown through a simple sulfurization process. The addition of Ge to CTS enabled tuning the bandgap and improved the photocurrent density. Films sulfurized at 520 °C exhibit enhanced grain size and reduced grain boundaries, which contribute to increased carrier transport efficiency. By optimizing Ge content and sulfurization conditions, the Cu₂(Sn_1−x ,Ge _x )S₃ films demonstrate promising capabilities for efficient green hydrogen production. This work lays the groundwork for developing advanced photoelectrodes and highlights the need for further refinement to maximize performance for practical applications.