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Optimization of structural and optical properties of CuIn1-xZnxSe2 thin films by zinc incorporation

K. BENAMEUR1, Y. MOUCHAAL1,2,* , B. KOUSKOUSSA1, A. TAB3, K. EL ASSAD ZEMALLACH OUARI1,2, E. EL-MENYAWY44, K. BENCHOUK1, K. ABDELBACET1

Affiliation

  1. Laboratoire de Physique des Couches Minces et Matériaux pour L’Electronique (LPCMME), Université Oran 1 Ahmed Ben Bella, BP 1524 Oran El-Mnaouer, Algeria
  2. Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université Mustapha Stambouli de Mascara, B.P. 305, Mascara 29000, Algeria
  3. Physics Department, Science Faculty, Oran University of Sciences and Technology USTO-MB, BP1505 Oran,
  4. Solid State Electronics Laboratory, Solid State Physics Department, Physics Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt

Abstract

In the present work, we investigate on the effect of incorporating zinc into CuIn1-xZnxSe2 thin layer structures aiming to improve its optoelectronic performances towards application as active layers in thin layers photovoltaic cells. During this work, we have shown that the atomic percentage of Zn in the CuIn1-xZnxSe2 thin films influences the structural, optical and morphological properties of the produced layers. CuIn1-xZnxSe2 films with various zinc compositions were synthesized by in situ annealing of Cu/In/Zn/Se multilayers after sequential deposition of Cu, In, Zn and Se thin films on unheated glass substrates using thermal evaporation method. Thermal annealing was carried out using halogen lamp under vacuum at 10-4 Pa. The chalcopyrite phase, polycrystalline nature, film homogeneity and stoichiometry were illustrated and studied using appropriate analysis. The grain size had a decreasing behavior from 120 nm to 40 nm with increasing zinc percentage. Optical study showed electronic energy gap values of CuIn1-xZnxSe2 compounds increases from 1.15 eV to 1.75 eV with the increase in the molar fraction of zinc. The results carried in this study demonstrated that zinc can be an effective candidate for In substitution in chalcopyrite structures with an effect similar to gallium and aluminum aiming to reduce the cost and to adjust the energy gap by adapting the In / Zn atomic ratio which permit to optimize the absorption of the solar spectrum..

Keywords

CuIn1-xZnxSe2, Chalcopyrite structures, Sequential deposition, Photovoltaic cells.

Submitted at: May 20, 2021
Accepted at: Feb. 11, 2022

Citation

K. BENAMEUR, Y. MOUCHAAL, B. KOUSKOUSSA, A. TAB, K. EL ASSAD ZEMALLACH OUARI, E. EL-MENYAWY4, K. BENCHOUK, K. ABDELBACET, Optimization of structural and optical properties of CuIn1-xZnxSe2 thin films by zinc incorporation, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 24, Iss. 1-2, pp. 41-47 (2022)