Fabrication of tin monosulfide nanosheet arrays using laser ablation

Abstract

We demonstrate the non-catalytic, low-temperature (similar to 200A degrees C) synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) tin monosulfide (SnS) nanosheet arrays vertically aligned on the substrate by means of pulsed laser ablation (PLD) process. The prepared nanosheets were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field-emission electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The growth mechanism of 2D morphological feature, which is widespread but very slim (similar to 10 nm), is further investigated in detail from the crystallographic point of view by observing highly-resolved lattice images taken from plane-normal and in-plane directions using focused ion-beam manipulation and high-resolution transmission microscopy.