Properties of CuIn 1-xGa xSe 2 films prepared by the rapid thermal annealing of spray-deposited CuIn 1-xGa xS 2and Se

Laura E. Slaymaker, Nathan M. Hoffman, Matthew A. Ingersoll, Matthew R. Jensen, Jiři Olejniček, Christopher L. Exstrom, Scott A. Darveau, Rodney J. Soukup, Natale J. Ianno, Amitabha Sarkar, Štěpán Kment

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Many reported CuIn 1-xGa xSe 2 (CIGS) thin films for high-efficiency solar cells have been prepared via a two-stage process that consists of a high-vacuum film deposition step followed by selenization with excess H 2Se gas or Se vapor. Removing toxic gas and high-vacuum requirements from this process would greatly simplify it and make it less hazardous. We report the formation of CuIn 1-xGa xSe 2 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) thin films achieved by rapid thermal annealing of spray-deposited CuIn 1-xGa xS 2 and Se in the absence of an additional selenium source. To prepare the Se layer, commercial Se powder was dissolved by refluxing in ethylenediamine/2,2- dimethylimidizolidine. After cooling to room temperature, this mixture was combined with 2-propanol and the resulting colloidal Se suspension was sprayed by airbrush onto a heated glass substrate. The resulting film was coated with nanocrystalline CuIn 1-xGa xS 2 via spray deposition of a toluene-based "nanoink" suspension. The two-layer sample was annealed at 550°C in an argon atmosphere for 60 minutes to form the final CIGS product. Scanning electron microscopy images reveal that film grains are 200-300 nm in diameter and comparable to sizes of the reactant CuIn 1-xGa xS 2 nanoparticles. XRD patterns are consistent with the chalcopyrite unit cell and calculated lattice parameters and A, phonon frequencies change nearly linearly between those for CuInSe 2 and CuGaSe 2.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCompound Semiconductors for Energy Applications and Environmental Sustainability - 2011
Pages77-82
Number of pages6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Event2011 MRS Spring Meeting - San Francisco, CA, United States
Duration: Apr 25 2011Apr 29 2011

Publication series

NameMaterials Research Society Symposium Proceedings
Volume1324
ISSN (Print)0272-9172

Conference

Conference2011 MRS Spring Meeting
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco, CA
Period4/25/114/29/11

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering

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