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Synthesis and characterization of CuInS2 thin films grown by spray pyrolysis

M. RAFI1,2,* , Y. ARBA1, B. HARTITI1, A. RIDAH2, P. THEVENIN3

Affiliation

  1. Laboratoire LPMAER. FST, Mohammedia, Morocco
  2. Laboratoire LIMAT. FS, Ben M'sick, Morocco
  3. Laboratoire LMOPS, Université de Lorraine, Metz, France

Abstract

CuInS2 (CIS), a potential candidate for absorber layer in thin film heterojunction solar cell, has been successfully deposited by spray pyrolysis technique on heated glass substrates at various temperatures. We have investigated the synthesis conditions and some properties of sprayed CuInS2 thin films in order to determine the best preparation conditions for the realization of CIS based photovoltaic solar cells. In order to optimize the synthesis conditions of the CIS films, two series of experiments have been performed. In the first series the substrate temperature was changed from T=598K to 673K by step of 25K, and the spray duration was fixed at 60 min. In the second series the spray duration was varied between 15 min and 60 min and the substrate temperature was fixed at 648K. The structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of the CIS thin films have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDAX, and optical absorption techniques respectively. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that polycrystalline CIS films with chalcopyrite crystal structure and better crystallinity could be obtained for substrate temperatures in the range 648–673K. The optical band gap of films deposited at the substrate temperature 648 K and sprayed during 60 min is close to the ideal band gap for highest theoretical conversion efficiency, with an optical absorption coefficient of 105 cm-1..

Keywords

Spray technique, Thin films, Chalcopyrite, Solar cell, Raman.

Submitted at: Sept. 28, 2013
Accepted at: Nov. 7, 2013

Citation

M. RAFI, Y. ARBA, B. HARTITI, A. RIDAH, P. THEVENIN, Synthesis and characterization of CuInS2 thin films grown by spray pyrolysis, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 15, Iss. 11-12, pp. 1328-1334 (2013)