Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-qxdb6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T09:17:00.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Synthesis and characterization of In2S3: Na thin films prepared by vacuum thermal evaporation technique for photovoltaic applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2008

A. Timoumi*
Affiliation:
Photovoltaic and semiconductor materials laboratory National Engineering School of Tunis, Belvedere PO Box 37, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia
H. Bouzouita
Affiliation:
Photovoltaic and semiconductor materials laboratory National Engineering School of Tunis, Belvedere PO Box 37, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia
B. Rezig
Affiliation:
Photovoltaic and semiconductor materials laboratory National Engineering School of Tunis, Belvedere PO Box 37, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia
Get access

Abstract

In2S3 thin films containing different quantities of sodium have been synthesized by co-evaporation of sodium and In2S3 powder from separate sources using vacuum thermal evaporation method. Films were deposited on ordinary glass at 240 °C. The process of incorporation of sodium was studied as function of at.% Na. Films have been characterised by means of X-ray diffraction, SEM, EDAX and spectrophotometry. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the initial amorphous nature of deposited layers and revealed the formation of In2S3 as function of annealing layers containing sodium in nitrogen at 300 °C for 2 h. Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) revealed the composition of the films as a function of the sodium incorporation. Surface Electron Microscopy showed that these films were granular and homogenous. The films have an n-type electrical conductivity and their optical direct band gap can be managed between 2.20 and 2.45 eV by controlling their sodium content. The variation of parameters for as-deposited and annealed films has been studied within $x\le 4$ at.% solid solution composition. Thin layers with homogeneous surfaces, direct band gap energy $(E_g)$ of about 2.45 eV for 4 at.% Na and 0.9 μm-thick have been achieved.

Keywords

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Contreras, M.A., Ramanathan, K., AbuShama, J., Hasoon, F., Young, D.L., Egaas, B., Noufi, R., Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 13, 209 (2005) CrossRef
Hariskos, D., Spiering, S., Powalla, M., Thin Solid Films 480, 99 (2005) CrossRef
Siebentritt, S., Sol. Energy 77, 767 (2004) CrossRef
Naghavi, N., Spiering, S., Powalla, M., Canava, B., Lincot, D., Prog. Photovoltaics: Res-App. 11, 437 (2003) CrossRef
Barron, A.R., Adv. Mater. Opt. Electro 5, 245 (1995) CrossRef
Spiering, S., Eick, A., Hariskos, D., Powalla, M., Naghavi, N., Lincot, D., Thin Solid Films 451, 562 (2004) CrossRef
Systam, M.A.M., Vacuum 63, 441 (2001)
Yamaguchi, K., Yoshida, T., Minoura, H., Thin Solid Films 431, 354 (2003) CrossRef
Barreau, N., Bernède, J.C., Marsillac, S., Amory, C., Shafarman, W.N., Thin Solid Films 431, 326 (2003) CrossRef
Timoumi, A., Bouzouita, H., Kanzari, M., Rezig, B., Thin Solid Films 480, 124 (2005) CrossRef
Gu, X.-C.L., Zhuge, L., Qian, W., Zhao, C., Lan, X., Sheng, W., Yao, D., Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 297, 183 (2007)
Naghavi, N., Henriquez, R., Laptez, V., Lincot, D., Appl. Surf. Sci. 222, 65 (2004) CrossRef
Ernits, K., Brémaud, D., Buecheler, S., Hibberd, C.J., Kaelin, M., Khrypunov, G., Muller, U., Mellikov, E., Tiwari, A.N., Thin Solid Films 515, 6051 (2007) CrossRef
Timoumi, A., Bouzouita, H., Kanzari, M., Rezig, B., Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 33, 77 (2006) CrossRef
John, T.T., Bini, S., Kashiwaba, Y., Abe, T., Yasuhiro, Y., Kartha, C.S., Vijayakumar, K.P., Semicond. Sci. Technol. 18, 491 (2003) CrossRef
Guillén, C., Garcia, T., Herrero, J., Gutiérrez, M.T., Briones, F., Thin Solid Films 451, 112 (2004) CrossRef
Barreau, N., Marsillac, S., Albertini, D., Bernede, J.C., Thin Solid Films 403, 331 (2002) CrossRef
Barreau, N., Bernède, J.C., El Maliki, H., Marsillac, S., Castel, X., Pinel, J., Solid State Commun. 122, 445 (2002) CrossRef
Kim, W.T., Kim, C.D., J. Appl. Phys. 60, 2631 (1986) CrossRef
Swanpoel, R., J. Phys. E 16, 1214 (1983) CrossRef
W.R. Runyan, Texas Instruments Electronics Seriesn (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1975), p. 145
Barreau, N., Bernède, J.C., Deudon, C., Brohan, L., Marsillac, S., J. Cryst. Growth 241, 4 (2002) CrossRef
Ramirez-Bon, R., Sandoval-Inda, N.C., Espinoza-Beltran, F.J., Sotelo-Lerma, M., Zelaya-Angel, O., Falcony, C., J. Phys. Condens. Matter 9, 10051 (1997) CrossRef
Janda, M., Kubovy, A., Phys. Stat. Solidi (a) 35, 391 (1976) CrossRef
George, J., Joseph, KS, Pradeep, B., Palson, TI, Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 106, 123 (1988) CrossRef
Bhira, L., Essaidi, H., Belgacem, S., Couturier, G., Salardene, J., Barreau, N., J.C. Bernède. Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 181, 427 (2000) 3.0.CO;2-P>CrossRef
Jin, M., J. eng, D.-H. Zhang, H.-L. Ma, Thin Solid Films 357, 98 (1999) CrossRef
Belgacem, S., Bennaceur, R., Rev. Phys. Appl. 25, 1245 (1990) CrossRef
El-Nahass, M.M., Khalifa, B.A., Soliman, H.S., Seyam, M.A.M., Thin Solid Films 515, 1796 (2006) CrossRef