Effects of Solvents on the Synthesis of CuInSe<SUB>2</SUB> Nanoparticles for Thin Film Solar Cells

Abstract

Chalcopyrite CuInSe2 (CIS) nanoparticles were synthesized in oleic acid, 1-octadecene, oleyl amine and tetraethylene glycol at temperature above 200 degrees C. Depending on the solvent used and reaction temperature, the obtained nanoparticles had different shapes, sizes, chemical compositions, and crystal and thermal properties. CIS powders synthesized in oleic acid, 1-octadecene and oleyl amine above 200 degrees C exhibited chalcopyrite structure. On the other hand, powders prepared in tetraethylene glycol contained a mixture of CIS and CuSe compounds. The CIS powder obtained in oleyl amine had a high thermal stability over 500 degrees C. CIS thin films prepared from nanoparticles were heat-treated in order to observe changes in their property. After 10 min heat-treatment at 500 degrees C, their crystal structure and chemical composition were slightly changed, and their band gap energies were ca. 1.01 eV except in the case of powders prepared in tetraethylene glycol.

Electrophysical Properties of <i>N</i>-Cuinse Based Heterostructures

“…Regardless of the wavelength, intensity, and location of radiation hitting the structures, the layer is always positively charged, which reflects the nature of the change in the composition of the near-surface region of the crystal as a result of heat treatment. Since the role of acceptor-type intrinsic defects in CuInSe2 is played by vacancies in the copper sublattice and oxygen introduced during heat treatment leads to a decrease in the concentration of donor levels [15,17,18], as a result of the studied heat treatment regimes, an increase in the degree of compensation of CuInSe2 in the near-surface region is achieved and causes the formation of an isotypic n -n+ -transition [19,20].…”

Synthesis and structure of [(Ph3P)2Cu(μ-SeCH2Ph)2In(SeCH2Ph)2] as a single-source precursor for the preparation of CuInSe2 nano-materials

“…1,4 However the CIS based PV devices were fabricated employing vacuum-and energy-demanding processes, thus hindering its commercialization. 1,10 In the last decade, solutionbased processes, screen printing, spray printing have evolved as alternative technologies for making low-cost solar cells. 8 Moreover, the morphology and size of the pyrolyzed materials can be better controlled by the colloidal synthesis of nanoparticles than by the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method.…”

“…2 CIS nanoparticles have been prepared by a solution-based one step process using three different sources of Cu, In and Se with capping agents to control the size, shape and morphology of the particles. 1,7,[10][11][12] The various solution-based methods such as solvothermal, electrodeposition and spray pyrolysis used three different sources of precursors to synthesize the CIS materials, which can affect the cell performances depending on the nature of absorbing layer. 10 The solvothermal route under mild reaction conditions using single-source precursors (SSPs) has emerged as highly efficient tool for the controlled preparation of nanostructures.…”

“…1,7,[10][11][12] The various solution-based methods such as solvothermal, electrodeposition and spray pyrolysis used three different sources of precursors to synthesize the CIS materials, which can affect the cell performances depending on the nature of absorbing layer. 10 The solvothermal route under mild reaction conditions using single-source precursors (SSPs) has emerged as highly efficient tool for the controlled preparation of nanostructures. Since the rst report of [(PPh 3 ) 2 CuIn(SEt) 4 ] in 1993 by Hirpo et al, 13 the complexes of the general formula [(PR 3 ) n CuM(ER 0 ) 4 ] (R, R 0 ¼ alkyl, aryl) 5, [13][14][15][16] have been extensively investigated as SSPs for the preparation of thin lm of CuME 2 using CVD technique.…”