Growth of copper indium sulphide films by thermal evaporation of mixtures of copper sulphide and indium sulphide powders
Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • CuInS{sub 2} films are prepared by resistively heating mixtures of CuS and In{sub 2}S{sub 3}. • As deposited films consist of Cu{sub 7}S{sub 4}, InS and In{sub 2}S{sub 3}. • These species react during vacuum annealing to produce CuInS{sub 2} films. • The films bear stoichiometric or Cu-rich composition. • Their electrical and optical features are conducive for photovoltaic applications. - Abstract: The physical evaporation of a 1:1 mixture of copper sulphide (CuS) and indium sulphide (In{sub 2}S{sub 3}) powders by resistive heating followed by the vacuum annealing of the resulting films at 723 K produces copper indium sulphide (CuInS{sub 2}) films with about 95% phase purity. Composed of sub-micron sized grains, the films bear stoichiometric or Cu-rich composition and are endowed with p-type conductivity, a band gap of about 1.5 eV and an absorption coefficient of about 4 × 10{sup 4} cm{sup −1} in visible region. Mechanistically, the formation of CuInS{sub 2} films takes place as a result of solid state reaction among Cu{sub 7}S{sub 4}, InS and In{sub 2}S{sub 3} in the condensed phase. These intermediate species are produced from the decomposition of CuInS{sub 2} formed in the evaporating mixture due to the reaction between CuS and In{sub 2}S{sub 3}, and excess CuS. Process simplicity and the absence of a sulphurisation step make this approach attractive for synthesising CuInS{sub 2} absorber layers for photovoltaic applications.
- OSTI ID:
- 22341732
- Journal Information:
- Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 48, Issue 8; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 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
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