Effects of the CuS phase on the growth and properties of CuInS₂ thin films

Abstract

CuInS2 thin films were prepared by sulfurization using a less hazardous liquid, metal–organic ditertiarybutylsulfide, on soda-lime glass substrates. Single-phase chalcopyrite CuInS2 films were obtained after 15 min at 515 °C. The obtained CuInS2 films were repeatedly sulfurized under different sulfurization conditions. The characteristics of these CuInS2 films were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra analyses. The secondary impurity phase such as CuS was confirmed from XRD patterns. The growth mechanism of intrinsic defects related to the secondary phase is discussed in this paper.

Tuning to the band gap by complex defects engineering: insights from hybrid functional calculations in CuInS2

“…There is only a marginal region that represents CuS, agreeing well with the fact that the minerals bornite or chalcopyrite consist of mixed copper-iron sulfides in the mining industry. In fact, it is found in the experiment that Cu 2−x S reacts with sulfur at higher temperatures and then forms CuS during cooling [51].…”

Mechanism analysis of CuInS2 and Cu(In,Ga)S2 growth via KCN- and H2S-free process and solar-cell application

“…In past studies, CI(G)S thin-films have been formed with a Cu-rich precursor (Cu/III > 1), which can produce large grain sizes and high-quality crystals. [3][4][5][6][7][8] However, the use of a Curich precursor needs KCN etching [9][10][11] to remove a lowresistance Cu x S phase formed on the CI(G)S surface after sulfurization which leads to a leak current in solar cells. KCN is highly toxic and limits for mass production.…”

Phase transformation during simultaneous chalcogenization of CuIn(S,Se)2 thin films using metalorganic sources

“…For large-scale applications, selenization and sulfurization methods, which utilize H 2 Se [1,2], H 2 S [3,4], Se [5,6], or S [7,8] vapor, are the most promising solid-phase growth techniques for fabricating high-quality thin films. Previously, we have proposed using diethylselenide [(C 2 H 5 ) 2 Se: DESe] [9][10][11][12] and ditertiarybutylsulfide [(t-C 4 H 9 ) 2 S: DTBS] [13-15] compounds (which correspond to organoselenium and organosulfur liquids, respectively) as selenization/sulfurization agents for the growth of Cu(In, Ga,Al)(S,Se) 2 alloys [9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Because DESe and DTBS exist in a liquid form at room temperature and thus can be stored in stainless steel cylinders under atmospheric pressure, the danger of widespread leakage is much less likely to occur (as compared to H 2 Se and H 2 S reagents), while their supplies are easier to control than those of Se and S vapors.…”