Polycrystalline CuIn3Se5 thin film photoabsorber deposited by the pulsed laser deposition technique

Abstract

Polycrystalline CuIn3Se5 photoabsorber thin films were deposited onto glass/ITO substrates by using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Stoichiometric CuIn3Se5 samples for PLD targets were synthesized in evacuated quartz ampoules by the vacuum melting of pure elements. The synthesized samples and deposited films were tested by using XRD analysis. The conditions of the PLD process were developed for the preparation of polycrystalline CuIn3Se5 thin films of the same composition as a source target and with the thickness in the range 300-450 nm. The influence of thermal annealing on photovoltaic properties and morphology of as-deposited CuIn3Se5 layers was investigated.