Insights into cadmium diffusion mechanisms in two-stage diffusion profiles in solar-grade Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin films

Journal Article · Mon Dec 07 04:00:00 EST 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4937000· OSTI ID:22486190

Biderman, N. J.; Sundaramoorthy, R.; Haldar, Pradeep ^[1]; Novak, Steven W.; Lloyd, J. R. ^[1]

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1. Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, New York 12203 (United States)

Cadmium diffusion experiments were performed on polished copper indium gallium diselenide (Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} or CIGS) samples with resulting cadmium diffusion profiles measured by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Experiments done in the annealing temperature range between 275 °C and 425 °C reveal two-stage cadmium diffusion profiles which may be indicative of multiple diffusion mechanisms. Each stage can be described by the standard solutions of Fick's second law. The slower cadmium diffusion in the first stage can be described by the Arrhenius equation D{sub 1} = 3 × 10{sup −4} exp (− 1.53 eV/k{sub B}T) cm{sup 2} s{sup −1}, possibly representing vacancy-meditated diffusion. The faster second-stage diffusion coefficients determined in these experiments match the previously reported cadmium diffusion Arrhenius equation of D{sub 2} = 4.8 × 10{sup −4} exp (−1.04 eV/k{sub B}T) cm{sup 2} s{sup −1}, suggesting an interstitial-based mechanism.

• OSTI ID: 22486190
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 107; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANNEALING
ARRHENIUS EQUATION
CADMIUM
COPPER
DIFFUSION
GALLIUM
INDIUM
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
THIN FILMS
TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD
VACANCIES