Preparation and properties of CuInS2 thin films produced by exposing sputtered Cu-In films to an H2S atmosphere

Abstract

CuInS2 thin films have been made from copper, indium, and hydrogen sulfide gas using a two-step technique which involves exposing Cu-In films produced by sputtering pure copper and pure indium to H2S gas diluted with argon. X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, optical transmission, and electrical measurements were used to identify and characterize the CuInS2. The resulting films were all p type with resistivity in the range 0.1–500 Ω cm and showed a preferred orientation of the (112) plane parallel to the substrate.