AbstractAg2S thin films of 90 nm to 300 nm in thickness were deposited at 70°C on glass substrates immersed in a bath mixture containing silver nitrate, sodium thiosulfate and dimethylthiourea. When the films are heated in nitrogen at temperatures 200°C to 400°C, crystallinity is improved and XRD pattern similar to that of acanthite is observed. These films possess electrical conductivity of 10-3 (ohm cm)-1, are photoconductive and exhibit an optical band gap of 1.36 eV. When Ag2S thin film is deposited over a thin film of Bi2S3, also obtained by chemical bath deposition from bismuth nitrate, triethanolamine and thioacetamide, and heated at 300°C to 400°C in nitrogen, a ternary compound, AgBiS2 is formed. This material has an electrical conductivity of 5x10-5 (ohm cm)-1, is photoconductive and possesses optical band gap 0.95 eV.
