Optical Characterization of Electronic Structure of CuInS<sub>2</sub> and CuAlS<sub>2</sub> Chalcopyrite Crystals

Abstract

Electronic structure of solar-energy related crystals of CuInS2 and CuAlS2 has been characterized using thermoreflectance (TR) measurement in the energy range between 1.25 and 6 eV. The TR measurements were carried out at room (~300 K, RT) and low (~30 K, LT) temperatures. A lot of interband transition features including band-edge excitons and higher-lying interband transitions were simultaneously detected in the low-temperature TR spectra of CuInS2 and CuAlS2. The energies of band-edge excitonic transitions at LT (RT) were analysed and determined to be =1.545 (1.535) and =1.554 eV (1.545 eV) for CuInS2, and =3.514 (3.486), =3.549 (3.522), and =3.666 eV (3.64 eV) for CuAlS2, respectively. The band-edge transitions of the and excitons are originated from the sulfur pp transitions in CuInS2 and CuAlS2 separated by crystal-field splitting. Several high-lying interband transitions were detected in the TR spectra of CuInS2 and CuAlS2 at LT and RT. Transition origins for the high-lying interband transitions are evaluated. The dependence of electronic band structure in between the CuInS2 and CuAlS2 is analysed and discussed.