Heteroepitaxy of CuInxSey: Material for high efficiency and stable thin film solar cells

Molecular beam epitaxy has been used to grow epitaxial layers of different CuInxSey phases on (111) oriented silicon substrates. Rutherford backscatte ring channeling yields of 7-11% and X-ray rocking curve linewidths of 900 a rcsec measured for 600 nm thick layers are the indication of good crystal q uality. The structural properties of the interface between the layers and t he substrate were studied with transmission electron microscopy. Because of interdiffusion of Cu, Se and Si an about 10 nm thick In-free interfacial l ayer is formed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.