The influence of annealing temperature on the structural, electrical and optical properties of ion beam sputtered CuInSe2 thin films

CuInSe2 (CIS) thin films were prepared by ion beam sputtering deposition of copper layer, indium layer and selenium layer on BK7 glass substrates followed by annealing at different temperatures for 1 h in the same vacuum chamber. The influence of annealing temperature (100-400 degrees C) on the structural, optical and electrical properties of CIS thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that CIS thin films exhibit chalcopyrite phase and preferential (112) orientation when the annealing temperature is over 300 degrees C. Both XRD and Raman show that the crystalline quality of CIS thin film and the grain size increase with increasing annealing temperature. The reduction of the stoichiometry deviation during the deposition of CIS thin films is achieved and the elemental composition of Cu, In and Se in the sample annealed at 400 degrees C is very near to the stoichiometric ratio of 1:1:2. This sample also has an optical energy band gap of about 1.05 eV, a high absorption coefficient of 10(5) cm(-1) and a resistivity of about 0.01 Omega cm. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.