Electrochemical deposition of p-type FeS2 thin films absorber layer for photovoltaic cell

Abstract

Electrochemical deposition (ECD) of FeS2 thin films from aqueous solution contains FeSO4, Na2S2O3.5H2O and H2SO4. ECDs were performed at different bath temperatures (30, 40, 50, 60 and 70°C) with constant pH (~2). FESEM images shows that the grains are as deposited films with stoichiometric iron pyrite thin films were successfully formed at 50, 60 and 70°C and S/Fe ratio in as-deposited films were ~2. GAXRD studies of as-deposited at 30 and 40°C FeS2 thin films shows a minor phase of orthorhombic marcasite and major cubic pyrite phase observed. As-deposited thin films at 50, 60 and 70°C brings about the formation of FeS2 with single crystalline cubic phases with a strong (111) preferred orientation and without any contribution of marcasite phase. When the bath temperature was increased, as-deposited thin films of crystalline size, thickness and roughness value increased due to rate of formation FeS2 increased. Raman spectra of the FeS2 thin films presented characteristic peaks of S-S active mode at 377 cm-1. The optical spectra of the as-deposited FeS2 thin films with different bath temperatures showed a clear absorption edge band gap of these films from 0.86 to 0.96 eV. As-deposited FeS2 thin films at different bath temperatures show p-type conductivity. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press.