Phase formation process of AlSb thick films prepared by screen printing and sintering method

Abstract

Aluminum antimonide (AlSb) is a promising semiconductor candidate for photovoltaic and opto-electronic applications. In this study, ∼200 μm thick AlSb films were prepared by screen printing and sintering method. To clarify the phase formation process during sintering, TG/DSC analysis, XRD analysis, SEM observations (combined with EDS line scans) and DC conductivity measurements were carried out. DSC curves and XRD patterns confirmed that the solid–solid reaction, Sb melting, solid–liquid reaction, Al melting, liquid–liquid reaction occurred in sequence with increasing temperature within the Al-Sb system, and AlSb phase was mainly generated at the liquid–liquid reaction stage. Moreover, SEM characterizations illustrated that the films sintered at liquid-liquid stage showed extremely different morphologies with the films sintered at solid–solid and solid–liquid reaction stages, the films were highly developed and large AlSb particles distributed in them. Finally, the semiconducting nature of the films was affirmed by DC conductivity measurements, both resistivity and activation energy increased with increasing sintering temperature owing to the formation of more AlSb phase under higher sintering temperatures.