Electrochemic growth of CuInSe₂ thin film on ITO/soda-lime glass from acidic medium

The simultaneous electrodeposition of the Cu-In-Se system was investigated. The study was carried out at pH 1.8 using Sodium citrate as completing agent for the Cu²⁺ ion. The synthesis of CuInSe₂ semiconductor thin film was carried out by electrodeposition on indium-tin oxide (ITO) /soda-lime glass. The simultaneous codeposition of the Cu, In, and Se was achieved by constant potential electrolysis technique in aqueous solutions containing CuCl₂, InCl₃, and H₂SeO₃. The as-deposited and annealed films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. Homogeneous films were deposited with a well-defined composition and chalcopyrite structure. The crystallinity of the films was improved by annealing. The deposited stoichiometric CuInSe₂ layers were about 2 μm in thickness. The annealed film is with a perfect crystallized and single chalcopyrite structure. It is suitable for photovoltaic applications.