Influence of heating rate on the hysteresis in the phase transition in silver selenide thin films

The electrical resistance of vacuum-deposited silver selenide thin films, of thickness 70 nm was measured in the temperature range from 300 to 430 K, at different heating rates and at a pressure of 2×10−5 mbar. The films were annealed at 430 K at a pressure of 2×10−5 mbar for an hour. It is found that annealed silver selenide films undergo a structural phase transition exhibiting hysteresis. The structural phase transition with hysteresis in silver selenide thin films is influenced by the heating rates of the films. The effect of the heating rate on the phase transition temperature and hysteresis are discussed taking into account the presence of potential barrier and the defects. Our studies reveal that hysteresis width decreases with decreasing heating rates.