Growth and characterization of Cu3SbSe4 thin films through thermally diffusing Sb2Se3 – CuSe by chemical bath deposition (CBD)

Journal Article · Fri Jun 15 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2018.02.049· OSTI ID:22804024

Martínez-Ortíz, P.; Lugo-Loredo, S. ^[1]; Campos-Álvarez, J. ^[2]; Aguilar-Martínez, J. A. ^[3]

---

1. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Universidad S/N, Cd. Universitaria 66455, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León (Mexico)
2. Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos, 62580 (Mexico)
3. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Centro de Investigación e Innovación en Ingeniería Aeronáutica (CIIIA), Carretera a Salinas Victoria Km. 2.3, C.P. 66600, Apodaca, N.L. (Mexico)

Highlights: • Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4} films were formed by chemical bath deposition followed by a heat treatment. • Prepared Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4} thin films have promising properties to absorbing layer in a solar cell or thermoelectric material. • Electrical conductivity values of Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4} are high, considering its manufacturing method and the previous reports in the field. - Abstract: In the present work, Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4} thin films have been successfully synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) involving a sequential deposition of antimony selenide (Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 3}) and copper selenide (CuSe) films and then annealing in a vacuum atmosphere. The influence of CuSe deposition time on the previously deposited Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 3} films was investigated to obtain the ternary phase. A study of the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of these films was carried out using appropriate characterization techniques. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the films show a tetragonal crystalline crystalline structure corresponding to the Permingeatite phase (Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4}). The crystal size increases with the CuSe deposition time. It is identified by Raman spectroscopy that at low CuSe deposition times a low concentration of Sb{sub 2}Se{sub 3} coexists in the thin film. The optical band gap energy of these films was evaluated in the range of 0.67–1.18 eV, decreasing by increasing CuSe deposition time. By field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) a morphological study was carried out, observing that by increasing the deposition time of CuSe there is an increase of agglomerates and decrease the porosity in the samples. An elemental analysis was carried out by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to observe the composition and elemental distribution in the ternary compound. The films showed a p-type electrical conductivity with values between 0.417 and 55.55 (Ω cm{sup −1}). The mobility and carrier density were performed by Hall Effect and Thermoelectric measurements observing a slight increase in the values by increasing the time of CuSe deposition. All results obtained for thin films of Cu{sub 3}SbSe{sub 4} suggest that it could be used as an absorber material in a solar cell or thermoelectric material.

• OSTI ID: 22804024
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 102; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANNEALING
ANTIMONY SELENIDES
CARRIER DENSITY
COPPER SELENIDES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DEPOSITION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
HALL EFFECT
POROSITY
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SOLAR CELLS
THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY