Band‐Edge Electronic Structure of β‐In₂S₃: The Role of s or p Orbitals of Atoms at Different Lattice Positions

Abstract

As a promising solar-energy material, the electronic structure and optical properties of Beta phase indium sulfide (β-In(2)S(3)) are still not thoroughly understood. This paper devotes to solve these issues using density functional theory calculations. β-In(2)S(3) is found to be an indirect band gap semiconductor. The roles of its atoms at different lattice positions are not exactly identical because of the unique crystal structure. Additonally, a significant phenomenon of optical anisotropy was observed near the absorption edge. Owing to the low coordination numbers of the In3 and S2 atoms, the corresponding In3-5s states and S2-3p states are crucial for the composition of the band-edge electronic structure, leading to special optical properties and excellent optoelectronic performances.