Cu2Te Synthesis and In-Vacuum Thermal Decomposition: Chemical-Kinetics Analysis and Comparison to Equilibrium Vapor-Pressure Measurements

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Abstract

In this study, polycrystalline Cu-foil substrates are exposed to elemental Te vapor at substrate temperatures below 373 K. Auger electron spectroscopy measurements indicate that copper-telluride films are formed at the substrate surface that have a 2:1 Cu-to-Te ratio, as predicted by the Cu-Te phase diagram. When these films are annealed above about 700 K in vacuum, Te desorbs from the substrate with zero-order kinetics. An analysis of Te-desorption traces that assumes the reaction Cu2Te(s) → 2Cu(s) + αTe(ν) + 1/2(1 - α)Te2(ν) finds a thermal-decomposition activation energy of 217 ± 3 kJ mol- 1. These Te-desorption data are compared to the Te impingement rate calculated from Cu2Te equilibrium vapor-pressure data from the literature and found to be in excellent agreement.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)7886-7891
Number of pages6
JournalThin Solid Films
Volume515
Issue number20-21
DOIs
StatePublished - 2007

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-520-40005

Keywords

  • Copper telluride
  • Evaporation and sublimation
  • In situ characterization
  • Photovoltaics
  • Polycrystalline thin films
  • Surface chemical reaction
  • Surface thermodynamics
  • Thermal desorption

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