Structural, optical and electrical properties of the ordered vacancy compound CuIn3Se5 thin films fabricated by flash evaporation

CuIn3Se5 polycrystalline thin films have been prepared by flash evaporation. Their properties have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, photoconductivity, optical transmission, Hall effect and four-point probe resistivity measurement. The results showed that the phase of the ordered defect compound CuIn3Se5 has unit cell parameters a and c with values 5.7508 and 11.5769 Å, respectively. It has an optical band gap of 1.23 eV and an optical absorption of about 0.9×104 cm−1 for photon energy hν>3.8 eV. The concentration of majority carriers at room temperature is n=1.16×1015 cm−3, the mobility is 4.3 cm2/V s and the films resistivity is ρn=1.25×1013 Ω cm.