While it has been known for about 10 years that octadecanol stabilizes Langmuir−Blodgett films of
copper tetrakis(cumylphenoxy)phthalocyanine films, the mechanism for this stabilization is not fully
understood. To understand more completely the molecular interactions responsible for making octadecanol
a good transfer promoter, we studied mixed films' isotherms of tetrakis(cumylphenoxy)phthalocyanine
and various saturated alcohols ranging in length from 13 to 24 carbons. By varying mole fraction and
alcohol chain length in the various mixed films, a model of interaction was deduced based on pressure-versus-area isotherms obtained from a Langmuir trough. In this model, the aliphatic chains of the alcohols
act as a stabilizing, hydrophobic support around phthalocyanine mounds of a preferred stack height. As
film pressure increases, the mounds are forced above the alcohol sea, removing favorable ether−water
interactions. Depending on chain length, a single or double collapse is observed, suggesting an adjustable
physical barrier to forcing the stacks above the alcohols.
The use of nanoparticle colloids for spray deposition of Cu-In-Se precursor films and subsequent thermal treatment to form CuInSe2 (CIS) films has been investigated. In the present study, the metathesis reaction between Na2Se in methanol and metal salts (i.e., Cu(BF4)2 and/or InI3) in pyridine produced CuSe, In2Se3, and CuInSe2.5 nanoparticle colloids. Purified colloid was sprayed onto heated molybdenum-coated sodalime glass substrates to form CuInSe2.5/Mo and In2Se3/CuSe/Mo precursor films. These precursor films were subjected to various thermal treatments in an effort to produce large-grained CIS films from the nano-sized precursors. The annealed CIS films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Results of this continuing effort will be discussed.
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