Characterization of Co-evaporated Cu-Ag-In-Se Thin Films

In this study, annealing effect on the structural, electrical, and optical characteristics of the quaternary Cu-Ag-In-Se (CAIS) thin films was investigated. These samples were deposited by co-evaporation of the Cu, Ag, In₂Se₃, and Se sources at the substrate temperature of 300 °C. The structural properties of the thin films were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, and the results indicated that all of the films were in the polycrystalline structure with the preferred orientation along (112) direction. From the optical measurements, the band gap values were found to vary between 1.38 and 1.45 eV with annealing processes. The temperature-dependent electrical conductivity of the samples was measured in the temperature range of 90–400 K. The films gained degenerate behavior with increasing annealing temperature. The carrier conduction mechanism was determined at high- and low-temperature regions by comparing thermionic emission and hopping parameters. Photoconductivity of the as-grown film showed that there was an increase in conductivity with increasing illumination intensity. From this measurement, the variation of photocurrent as a function of illumination intensity was determined.