CuInSe2 thin films were prepared by sequential evaporation of the constitue
nt elements onto Mo-coated glass substrates and the layers were subsequentl
y selenized in a closed graphite box at 400 degrees C. The films were chara
cterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and in situ, realtime Rutherford backsc
attering spectrometry (RBS) analysis to monitor the progress of the reactio
n as the elemental layers interdiffused. For the Cu/In/Se structure, XRD pe
rformed after various anneals revealed that the Cu-In layer mixed with the
Se layer to form a number of binary phases. For Cu/Se/In it was found that
the Cu and Se had intermixed at room temperature. In both the structures in
vestigated the Cu-Se and In-Se binary phases formed below 200 degrees C and
upon annealing above this temperature interdiffused to form chalcopyrite C
uInSe2. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.