Effects of processing on the electronic defect levels in CuInSe2

The effects of CuInSe₂ preparation and processing on the electronic defect levels are investigated. Heat treatments in selenium are correlated with the electro-optical and structural characteristics of single-crystal and polycrystalline material properties and device parameters. High-resolution photoluminescence and deep-level transient spectroscopy studies are used to identify the energy levels associated with the chemical defect states dominating the CuInSe₂. The effects of Se heat treatments on existing and process-generated defect states (deep and shallow) are identified and correlated with the junction characteristics. Atomic force microscopy provides information on the nanoscale and microscale structural differences among the films as a function of the processing procedures