Electrodeposition of CuInSe 2 from ethylene glycol at 150 °C

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 93; no. 9; pp. 1518 - 1523
• Main Authors: Wellings, J.S., Samantilleke, A.P., Heavens, S.N., Warren, P., Dharmadasa, I.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2009
• Subjects: CuInSe 2; Electrodeposition; Non-aqueous; Thin films; Thin films; CuInSe 2; Electrodeposition; Non-aqueous
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2009.03.031

Polycrystalline chalcopyrite thin films were potentiostatically electrodeposited from ethylene glycol solution onto SnO 2-coated glass substrates at 150 °C. The thickness of the layers was estimated using talysurf at 1.0 μm after deposition for 60 min. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses were used to identify and characterise compounds formed at different potentials. It was found that Cu 1.75Se formation was dominant at −0.80 V vs Se and indium assimilation increased at more negative voltages forming a mixture of compounds including numerous Cu–Se binary phases and copper indium diselenide (CuInSe 2) at the cathode. As-deposited materials showed poor crystallinity and therefore films were annealed in Ar/5%H 2 in the presence of Se to improve the material quality for all investigations. Although the films were deposited at 150 °C, no noticeable improvement of the CuInSe 2 was observed, suggesting growth from aqueous media at room temperature to be preferable.