RAPID INTENSE PULSE LIGHT SINTERING OF COPPER SULPHIDE NANOPARTICLE FILMS

Copper sulphide (CuxS, x=1 to 2) is a metal chalcogenide semiconductor that exhibits useful optical and electrical properties due to the presence of copper vacancies. This makes CuxS thin films useful for a number of applications including infrared absorbing coatings, solar cells, thin-film electronics, and as a precursor for CZTS (Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide) thin films. Post-deposition sintering of CuxS nanoparticle films is a key process that affects the film properties and hence determines its operational characteristics in the above applications. Intense pulse light (IPL) sintering uses visible broad-spectrum xenon light to rapidly sinter nanoparticle films over large-areas, and is compatible-with methods such as roll-to roll deposition for large-area deposition of colloidal nanoparticle films and patterns. This paper experimentally examines the effect of IPL parameters on sintering of CuxS thin films. As deposited and sintered films are compared in terms of their crystal structure, as well as optical and electrical properties, as a function of the IPL parameters.