Characterization of CuInS2 thin films prepared from materials grown by using the mechanochemical method and their photovoltaic applications

Cu-In-S thin films were deposited on glass substrates using single-source thermal evaporation with ternary compounds as source materials. Polycrystalline CuInS2 powder grown using the mechanochemical method was employed as the source material. After deposition, the films were annealed in H2S gas at different temperatures from 250 to 500 degrees C for 60 min. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that single-phase CuInS2 was formed when annealed above 400 degrees C. The grain size of the crystals in thin films was approximately 0.2 to 2.0 mu m. The best Al/ZnO:Al/ZnO/CdS/CuInS2/Mo solar cell had an open-circuit voltage of 360 mV, a short-circuit current density of 18.6mA/cm(2), and a fill factor of 35.5%, resulting in 2.38% efficiency. (C) 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics