Characteristics of the Nanosecond Overvoltage Discharge Between CuInSe2 Chalcopyrite Electrodes in Oxygen-Free Gas Media

Abstract

The characteristics of the nanosecond overvoltage discharge ignited between semiconductor electrodes based on the CuInSe2 chalcopyrite compound in the argon and nitrogen atmospheres at gas pressures of 5.3–101 kPa are reported. Due to the electrode sputtering, chalcopyrite vapor enters the discharge plasma, so that some CuInSe2 molecules become destroyed, whereas the others become partially deposited in the form of thin films on solid dielectric substrates located near the plasma electrode system. The main products of the chalcopyrite molecule decomposition in the nanosecond overvoltage discharge are determined; these are atoms and singly charged ions of copper and indium in the excited and ionized states. Spectral lines emitted by copper and indium atoms and ions are proposed, which can be used to control the deposition of thin chalcopyrite films in the real-time mode. By numerically solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation for the electron energy distribution function, the electron temperature and density in the discharge, the specific losses of a discharge power for the main electronic processes, and the rate constants of electronic processes, as well as their dependences on the parameter E/N, are calculated for the plasma of vapor-gas mixtures on the basis of nitrogen and chalcopyrite. Thin chalcopyrite films that effectively absorb light in a wide spectral interval (200–800 nm) are synthesized on quartz substrates, by using the gas-discharge method, which opens new prospects for their application in photovoltaic devices.

Оптичні характеристики і параметри плазми перенап-руженого наносекундного розряду між електродами з алюмінію та халькопіриту (СuInSe2) в аргоні

“…Overstressed nanosecond discharge between an aluminum electrode and a chalcopyrite electrode (CuInSe 2 ) was ignited in a vacuum discharge chamber made of plexiglass. The scheme of discharge device and the device for film deposition was given in works [8,12,13]. The distance between the electrodes was 1 × 10 −3 m. The discharge chamber was pumped out making use of a pre-vacuum pump to a residual air pressure of 10 Pa; then argon was inlet into the chamber.…”

“…The oscillograms of voltage and current pulses in discharges between two chalcopyrite or two aluminum electrodes at an air pressure of 101 kPa were presented in works [13,15]. The voltage and current oscillograms had the form of time-damping oscillations lasting about 7-10 ns, which was associated with a mismatch between the output resistance of highvoltage modulator and the load resistance.…”

Investigation of the conditions of synthesis of metal and chalcopyrite films from the degradation products of electrodes of an overstressed nanosecond discharge in argon and air

“…The results of control experiments to study the characteristics of this discharge at different air pressures in systems, when two identical electrodes made of aluminum or chalcopyrite were used, are given in [18,19]. The interelectrode distance in both cases was 1 mm, which made it possible to compare the results of these studies with the data of experiments with a discharge between different electrodes (electrode with "Al" and "CuInSe2").…”

“…Control studies of the spectral characteristics of plasma radiation were carried out for an overstressed nanosecond discharge in air between two aluminum electrodes and between two electrodes from chalcopyrite (CuInSe2) [18,19]. When identifying spectral lines in the spectra, reference books [21][22][23] were used.…”

Investigation of Deposition Conditions of Thin Copper Films from Electrode Destruction Products of Overvoltage High-voltage Discharge in High Pressure Argon

“…In an overvoltage nanosecond discharge in atmospheric pressure gases, the formation of ectons from the working surfaces of the electrodes is accompanied by the emission of steam from the electrode material into the interelectrode space [1]. When using electrodes made of transition metals, the synthesis of thin nanostructured films was performed [2][3][4] and ultrafine metal powders were obtained in sufficient quantities [5] for use in various nanotechnologies [6,7].…”