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Low energy ion scattering: surface preparation and analysis of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 for photovoltaic applications
Author(s) -
Téllez Helena,
Druce John,
Hall Allen,
Ishihara Tatsumi,
Kilner John,
Rockett Angus
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.2535
Subject(s) - sputtering , ion , analytical chemistry (journal) , evaporation , copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , layer (electronics) , scattering , hydrogen , chemistry , oxide , epitaxy , spectroscopy , materials science , thin film , nanotechnology , optics , metallurgy , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) single‐crystal epitaxial films have been analyzed by low energy ion scattering, which is sensitive to exactly the outermost surface atomic layer, to determine the surface chemistry as a function of preparation conditions. The samples were grown by a hybrid sputtering and evaporation method on cation (A) or anion (B) terminated (111) GaAs substrates and had smooth surfaces. The samples were exposed to excited atomic oxygen or hydrogen beams or were sputtered with 500 eV Ar + ions. Atomic O* treatment resulted in an otherwise clean, oxidized surface including all film constituents. Atomic H* resulted in strong enhancement of the surface Ga population, probably due to a preexisting Ga native oxide in the outermost atomic layer. Sputtering produced a clean surface that was closest to the bulk composition of the film as measured by energy‐dispersive spectroscopy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.