Edgar G. Zamorano-Noriega¹, María E. Martínez-Barbosa^1,*, María L. Mota², Ana B. López-Oyama^3,4, Eugenio Rodríguez González⁵, Crescencio García-Guendulain⁶, Ramón Ochoa-Landín⁷, Fernando J. Sánchez-Rodríguez^8,*, Santos J. Castillo^3,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.085590 - 02 July 2026

Abstract The major challenge in developing efficient photovoltaic devices is achieving highlight absorption, optimal charge transport, and low recombination losses. In this work, the effect of the immersion bath numbers in the chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique on the properties of bismuth oxysulfide (Bi₂O₂S) thin films, as emergent materials, was studied. The films were synthesized under eco-friendly conditions, using a low-concentration bismuth nitrate precursor and thioacetamide as the sulfur source, and under basic conditions at moderate temperature, with a reaction time of 3 h. X-ray diffraction demonstrated the formation of a crystalline Bi₂O₂S phase, and the morphological… More >

Nourah A. Alsobai¹, Norah Alsairy², A. Ashour³, A. M. Ismail⁴, Khaled M. Abdelbased⁵, Atef Ismail^6,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.083101 - 02 July 2026

Abstract This study presents a comparative investigation of the structural, DC electrical, and magnetic properties of pure cadmium sulfide (CdS) and 10% chromium-doped CdS (Cd_0.9Cr_0.1S) nanocrystalline thin films deposited by thermal evaporation. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the polycrystalline hexagonal (wurtzite) structure of both films with no detectable secondary phases. Upon Cr doping, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the principal diffraction peaks increased systematically, leading to a reduction in average crystallite size from 19.8 nm to 13.9 nm, accompanied by an increase in lattice strain (from 2.48 to 3.52) × 10⁻³ and dislocation density (from… More >

Aljawhara H. Almuqrin¹, Manjunatha², M. I. Sayyed^3,4,5,*, Ashok Kumar^6,7,*, A. S. Bennal⁸

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.083065 - 02 July 2026

Abstract The human exposure to hazardous ionizing radiation is increased due to the progression of nuclear technology across energy, medicine, and industrial sectors, etc. Developing transparent shielding materials is essential to overcome the structural and opacity limitations of traditional materials like concrete. The 30TeO₂-xPbO₂-xBi₂O₃-(70 − 2x)B₂O₃ (x = 10, 12, 14 and 16 mol%) glasses are prepared via the melt-quenching technique. The density (ρ) increases from 4.759 to 5.561 g cm⁻³ due to the incorporation of heavy metal oxides (HMOs). The molar volume (V_m) increases from 32.194 to 33.657 cm³ mol⁻¹. The oxygen packing density (OPD) decreased from 80.761… More >

Dezi Li¹, Linhua Xie², Shunru Zhang^1,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.082939 - 02 July 2026

Abstract Using first principles calculations, we have systematically studied the structural, elastic, mechanical, lattice dynamic, and thermodynamic properties of the CuBS₂ semiconductor. The calculated structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimental values. The obtained elastic constants confirm that the compound is mechanically stable. The B/G ratio of CuBS₂ indicating that this crystal possesses ductile characteristics. Using the ELATE software, 3D and 2D visualizations of anisotropic elastic properties, namely, the maximum and minimum values of Young’s modulus (E), shear modulus (G), linear compressibility (β), and Poisson’s ratio (ν), have been analyzed. Furthermore, we calculated the elastic anisotropy index (A^U, A_B,… More >

Hanaa I. Mohammed¹, Eman M. Nasir^2,*, Iqbal S. Naji²

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.079657 - 02 July 2026

Abstract Thin films of Cu_xZn_1−xS nanocomposite with varying copper content (x = 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7) were successfully synthesized by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique from their fabricated powders by the precipitation method for optoelectronic applications. The impact of Cu content on the film’s structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics was investigated. Elemental composition analyses indicated that thin CZS films consisted only of their constituent elements and were free of any noted impurities. XRD patterns demonstrated that all as-grown thin films were polycrystalline in nature and adopted various planes and phases of CuS and ZnS binary… More >

R. Amin^1,*, M. Rashad^2,*, A. A. Abu-Sehly³, Taymour A. Hamdalla², Ahmed S. Elshimy⁴

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.077357 - 02 July 2026

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) doping has enhanced the mineral properties, glass mesh, and movement traits of the Se₉₀Te₁₀ glassy alloy. The (Se₉₀Te₁₀)₉₅Cd₅ alloy has a strength 0.032 kN, accompanied by limited ductility, and displays brittle fracture behavior typical of amorphous chalcogenide glasses. (DSC) at varying heating rates was employed to examine the crystallization kinetics in bulk Se₉₀Te₁₀ and (Se₉₀Te₁₀)₉₅Cd₅ compositions; X-ray diffraction analysis was utilized to identify the crystalline structure of Se₉₀Te₁₀ and (Se₉₀Te₁₀)₉₅Cd₅, confirming the non-crystalline nature of both materials. Various kinetic frameworks were developed utilizing activation energies for glass transition and crystallization processes. “The Kissinger equation” was employed More >

Yulong Lian¹, Ruiqiang Wang¹, Ziyan Ding¹, Jinyang Liu^1,2,3,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.083268 - 02 June 2026

Abstract The morphological regularity, thickness uniformity, and size controllability of two-dimensional materials play a crucial role in regulating their physicochemical properties. However, achieving a synergistic balance among these three factors remains a key challenge in the field. In this study, through a systematic investigation of 36 salt-assisted growth systems, we discovered that CsCl promotes the lateral growth of SnS₂, while KI optimizes the crystal morphology. Using a CsCl/KI mixed salt system, we successfully grew triangular, ultrathin, large-area SnS₂ nanosheets with a size exceeding 200 μm and a thickness of only 1.8 nm. Angle-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy (ARPRS)… More >

Yuanyi Zhang, Yang Gu, Yuxin Lan, Zhenyu Wang, Wei Yan, Yingcong Wei, Jing Xu^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.082986 - 02 June 2026

Abstract Photocatalytic H₂O₂ synthesis from O₂ is a green and environmentally friendly route. However, due to the limitations of quick recombination of photogenerated electrons and limited O₂ activation ability, photocatalytic reactions often exhibit low efficiency. In this study, Zn vacancy-engineered Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S (Zn_V-ZCS) photocatalysts were successfully constructed via a hydrothermal strategy using L-cysteine as a coordination agent. The optimized Zn_V-ZCS-10 catalyst achieves an impressive H₂O₂ production rate of 44.39 mmol/g within 1 h under 425 nm irradiation, approximately 2.3 times higher than that of pristine Zn_0.4Cd_0.6S (ZCS). Structural characterization and cycling performance tests confirm that the introduction of Zn vacancies does More > Graphic Abstract

S. D. Al-Sahafi^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.082364 - 02 June 2026

Abstract In this study, a lead-free double perovskite solar cell structure based on Cs₂BiAgI₆ was simulated and optimized to enhance photovoltaic performance. The device architecture follows the configuration: ITO/PCBM/C₆₀/Cs₂BiAgI₆/CdTe/Au. The thicknesses of the electron transport layer (ETL), absorber layer, and hole transport layer (HTL) are systematically optimized to evaluate their impact on key performance parameters. The results indicate that optimal performance is achieved with 600 nm thicknesses for all ETLs and HTL, and 2 μm for the Cs₂BiAgl₆ absorber. Under these conditions, the device exhibits a short-circuit current density of 23.23 mA/cm², an open-circuit voltage of 1.08 V, More >

Seham Hassan Salman¹, Sarmad Mahdi Ali¹, Hawraa Hadi^2,*, Dhufr Hadi³

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.081302 - 02 June 2026

Abstract Films of (SnS) with a thickness of 400 nm were deposited by the thermal evaporation technique to investigate the influence of annealing temperature on their Physics and CO₂ gas-sensing characteristics. The deposited films were annealed at 200, 300, and 400°C. Structural characterization was performed using XRD, and the obtained results revealed that all samples possessed an orthorhombic crystal structure with a preferred orientation (301). The annealing treatment significantly improved the crystallinity of the films and reduced structural defects and lattice strain. Surface morphology investigations were performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), which revealed noticeable modifications in… More >