Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition

Mohamed Abusnina; Mohammad Matin; Helio Moutinho; Jeffrey Blackburn; Jeffrey Alleman; Clay DeHart; Bobby To; Mowafak Al-Jassim

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834

Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition

Mohamed Abusnina, Mohammad Matin, Helio Moutinho, Jeffrey Blackburn, Jeffrey Alleman, Clay DeHart, Bobby To, Mowafak Al-Jassim

University of Denver

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) thin films were grown by the sulfurization of stacked metal precursors deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates. In this paper, we report the role of the film chemical composition in the evolution of Cu_2-xS phases and how to avoid their development through controlling the film composition. Furthermore, the effect of the elemental concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the final CZTS films has been investigated. The prepared CZTS films have a composition ratio M = Cu/(Zn + Sn) varying from 0.81 (Cu-poor) to 1.05 (Cu-rich). X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies revealed the presence of Cu_2-xS phases in films with a Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio higher than 1.00 and/or in films with a Sn/Cu ratio close to or less than the stoichiometric value of 0.50. However, Cu_2-xS -phases-free CZTS films were achieved with Sn/Cu ratios sufficiently above 50% without regard to the Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio. Plan and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy showed compact films, in general. Electron back-scattered diffraction revealed randomly oriented CZTS films.

Original language	American English
Article number	7174472
Pages (from-to)	1470-1475
Number of pages	6
Journal	IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
Volume	5
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834
State	Published - 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5K00-63301

Keywords

CuZnSnS
CZTS
electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)
Raman scattering
sputtering
sulfurization
thin films

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Abusnina, M., Matin, M., Moutinho, H., Blackburn, J., Alleman, J., DeHart, C., To, B., & Al-Jassim, M. (2015). Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition. IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, 5(5), 1470-1475. Article 7174472. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834, https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834

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title = "Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition",

abstract = "Kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were grown by the sulfurization of stacked metal precursors deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates. In this paper, we report the role of the film chemical composition in the evolution of Cu2-xS phases and how to avoid their development through controlling the film composition. Furthermore, the effect of the elemental concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the final CZTS films has been investigated. The prepared CZTS films have a composition ratio M = Cu/(Zn + Sn) varying from 0.81 (Cu-poor) to 1.05 (Cu-rich). X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies revealed the presence of Cu2-xS phases in films with a Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio higher than 1.00 and/or in films with a Sn/Cu ratio close to or less than the stoichiometric value of 0.50. However, Cu2-xS -phases-free CZTS films were achieved with Sn/Cu ratios sufficiently above 50% without regard to the Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio. Plan and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy showed compact films, in general. Electron back-scattered diffraction revealed randomly oriented CZTS films.",

keywords = "CuZnSnS, CZTS, electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), Raman scattering, sputtering, sulfurization, thin films",

author = "Mohamed Abusnina and Mohammad Matin and Helio Moutinho and Jeffrey Blackburn and Jeffrey Alleman and Clay DeHart and Bobby To and Mowafak Al-Jassim",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 IEEE.",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834",

language = "American English",

volume = "5",

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Abusnina, M, Matin, M, Moutinho, H, Blackburn, J , Alleman, J, DeHart, C, To, B & Al-Jassim, M 2015, 'Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition', IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, vol. 5, no. 5, 7174472, pp. 1470-1475. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834, https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834

TY - JOUR

T1 - Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition

AU - Abusnina, Mohamed

AU - Matin, Mohammad

AU - Moutinho, Helio

AU - Blackburn, Jeffrey

AU - Alleman, Jeffrey

AU - DeHart, Clay

AU - To, Bobby

AU - Al-Jassim, Mowafak

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were grown by the sulfurization of stacked metal precursors deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates. In this paper, we report the role of the film chemical composition in the evolution of Cu2-xS phases and how to avoid their development through controlling the film composition. Furthermore, the effect of the elemental concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the final CZTS films has been investigated. The prepared CZTS films have a composition ratio M = Cu/(Zn + Sn) varying from 0.81 (Cu-poor) to 1.05 (Cu-rich). X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies revealed the presence of Cu2-xS phases in films with a Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio higher than 1.00 and/or in films with a Sn/Cu ratio close to or less than the stoichiometric value of 0.50. However, Cu2-xS -phases-free CZTS films were achieved with Sn/Cu ratios sufficiently above 50% without regard to the Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio. Plan and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy showed compact films, in general. Electron back-scattered diffraction revealed randomly oriented CZTS films.

AB - Kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were grown by the sulfurization of stacked metal precursors deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates. In this paper, we report the role of the film chemical composition in the evolution of Cu2-xS phases and how to avoid their development through controlling the film composition. Furthermore, the effect of the elemental concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the final CZTS films has been investigated. The prepared CZTS films have a composition ratio M = Cu/(Zn + Sn) varying from 0.81 (Cu-poor) to 1.05 (Cu-rich). X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies revealed the presence of Cu2-xS phases in films with a Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio higher than 1.00 and/or in films with a Sn/Cu ratio close to or less than the stoichiometric value of 0.50. However, Cu2-xS -phases-free CZTS films were achieved with Sn/Cu ratios sufficiently above 50% without regard to the Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio. Plan and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy showed compact films, in general. Electron back-scattered diffraction revealed randomly oriented CZTS films.

KW - CuZnSnS

KW - CZTS

KW - electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)

KW - Raman scattering

KW - sputtering

KW - sulfurization

KW - thin films

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U2 - 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834

DO - 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2447834

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84940036971

SN - 2156-3381

VL - 5

SP - 1470

EP - 1475

JO - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

JF - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

IS - 5

M1 - 7174472

ER -

Suppression of the Cu2-xS Secondary Phases in CZTS Films through Controlling the Film Elemental Composition

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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