Photoluminescence from Boron‐Doped Titanium Nitride Nanocomposite Thin Films Prepared by the Magnetron Sputtering Method

Abstract

Boron‐doped titanium nitride (TiBN) thin films with nanosized grains were prepared by a magnetron sputtering method. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy observation indicated that TiBN thin films have a cubic structure with grains ∼5 nm in size. The photoluminescence (PL) of the films was investigated as a function of temperature over a wavelength range of 350–900 nm. Two PL peaks near 3.20 and 2.38 eV were conisdered to have resulted from the recombination of the donor‐bound excitons and deep‐trap defects with the holes in the valence band, respectively. An energy transfer from bound electrons to deep‐trap defects was observed in the nanocomposite thin film.

Developing flexible CIGS solar cells on stainless steel substrates by using Ti/TiN composite structures as the diffusion barrier layer

“…The strong emissions at approximately 3.1 eV were observed because of the donor-bound excitons (DBE) recombination. The DBE recombination could be related to the transition between the electrons in the shallow N-vacancy donor level and holes in the valence band [8]. The PL intensities of the TiN x films with varied N 2 flow were found to increase as the N 2 flow increased from 15 to 45 sccm, Table 1 The detail parameters of sputtering-deposition power and pressure of the Ti, TiN and triple-Mo contact layers for the CIGS solar cell fabrication.…”

“…In addition, a broad band in the green emission region, which can be resolved into two branches situated at 2.4 eV and 1.6 eV because of the deep-level (DL) defect emission of nitrogen deficiencies, and possibly caused by the recombination of the surface states [8].…”