On thermal stability of antimony thin films for solar cells applications

A. Shongalova; D. Muratov; B. Rakhmetov; K. Aimaganbetov; S. Zhantuarov

doi:10.26577/rcph-2019-1-1093

Authors

A. Shongalova Institute of Physic and Technology LLP, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
D. Muratov ТОО Физико-технический институт, Сатбаев университет, Алматы, Казахстан
B. Rakhmetov Institute of Physic and Technology LLP, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
K. Aimaganbetov Institute of Physic and Technology LLP, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
S. Zhantuarov Institute of Physic and Technology LLP, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

DOI:

10.26577/rcph-2019-1-1093

Abstract

Antimony has received considerable attention due to structural archetype for a variety of sulfide and sulfosalt minerals. In this work Sb thin films with thickness of ~ 300 - 400 nm were grown by radio frequency magnetron sputtering, in order to use as a precursor to synthesize chalcogenide semiconductors for solar cells applications. It was shown the influence of annealing temperatures to the structure of the as-deposited Sb films. Antimony thin films were deposited on a glass substrate and subsequently were annealed at different temperatures 300°C, 400°C, 500°C in argon gas ambient. Structural characterization of the films analyzed by Raman scattering spectroscopy, two different excitation wavelengths were used: 532, 632.8 nm. Raman bands both the symmetric (A_1g) and nonsymmetrical (E_g) phonons were identified. Transmittance measurements and morphology studies of the films showed stability of annealed films at temperatures at 400 °C and the results of Raman spectroscopy showed their high polycrystalline structure.