The origin of sub-diffraction-limit apertures in Sb-based thin films is discussed. Electromagnetic energy can be channeled by these apertures thus allowing near-field focussing- the Super-RENS effect. The aperture formation within Sb, Sb2Te3, Sb2Te, SbTe and Ge2Sb2Te5 is investigated by time resolved optical pump-probe techniques and found to occur without melting. Density functional calculations have shown that these materials exhibit a thresholdlike change in their optical properties below their melting temperatures. The threshold is shown to be a consequence of thermally induced misalignment of p-orbital bonds. It is the non-linearity of this process that leads to the formation of the sub-diffraction-limit apertures.

CuGaSe2 (CGS) is a promising material for high efficiency thin film solar cells though predicted device performance has not been realized. Understanding the difference in the chemical nature between CuInSe2 (CIS) and CGS is critical for improving Cu (In, Ga) Se2 solar cells with high Ga concentrations. In this work, we have investigated the effects of oxygen-annealing on Ga-rich CGS epitaxial films focusing on compositional changes and secondary phase formations. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of Ga-rich films after oxygen-annealing was observed to always change into a spectrum characteristic of CGS grown under Cu-excess conditions. Electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) measurements indicate the formation of Ga-O after oxygen-annealing. Selective etching of the Ga-O phase showed the composition of the CGS phase became close to stoichiometric. The oxygen-annealed films showed multiple pits ∼ 100 nm in depth and ∼ 2.5 μm in width. The Ga-O phase is founded in a layer formed on the surface of the CGS phase and in a columnar form rising from the bottom of the pits to the film/substrate interface. The above results suggest that excess Ga in Ga-rich CGS tends to react with oxygen to form Ga-O, thus the composition of the remaining CGS approaches stoichiometry consistent with the changes observed in PL.

The piezoelectric photoacoustic (PPA) spectra for Cu-rich CuGaSe2 (CGS)/GaAs epitaxial layers were successfully observed between liquid nitrogen and room temperatures for the first time. Bandgap energy of CGS (A band) is estimated to be 1.72 eV at liquid nitrogen temperature. The activation energies of three possible intrinsic defect levels are estimated to be about 80, 130 and 190 meV.