Electrodeposition of Cu-In-Se precursors for chalcopyrite solar cells

The work is devoted to an investigation of structure and physical properties of different electroplated compositions of copper, selenium and indium in order to obtain the optimized combinations for creating of precursors for CIS based solar cells. Analysis of the crystal structure and surface morphology of the electrodeposited films and film compositions has revealed that only possible sequence of CIS precursor components in terms of optimization of mentioned above characteristics is Cu-In-Se. Particularly, the formation of Culn and Cu2In intermetallic compounds during electrodeposition of In onto Cu promotes improvement of the interlayer adhesion, the In2Se3 phase formed during electrodeposition of Se onto In has comparatively perfect nanostructure, while immediate contact of Cu and Se is undesirable, for example, because of generation of Cu2Se crystal phase with considerable strained microstructure.