Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

CdTe Thin Films: Spray Deposition Using a Nanoparticle Ink Precursor

  • Published:
MRS Online Proceedings Library Aims and scope

Abstract

CdTe thin film growth using nanoparticle precursors and spray deposition has been investigated. Employing a metathesis approach, cadmium iodide was reacted with sodium telluride in methanol solvent resulting in the formation of soluble Nal and insoluble CdTe nanoparticles. After appropriate chemical workup, methanol-capped CdTe colloids were isolated. CdTe colloids prepared by this method exhibit a dependence of the nanoparticle diameter upon reaction temperature as determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). CdTe thin film formation was achieved by spray depositing the nanoparticle colloids (25-75 Å diameter) onto substrates at elevated temperatures (T = 280–440 °C) with no further thermal treatment. These films were characterized by XRD, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Cubic CdTe phase formation was observed by XRD with a contaminant oxide phase also detected. XPS analysis showed that CdTe films produced by this one-step method contained no Na or C, but substantial O. AFM gave CdTe grain sizes of ~0.1-0.3 µm for films sprayed at 400 °C. A layer-by-layer film growth mechanism proposed for the one-step spray deposition of nanoparticle precursors will be discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C. Ferekides, J. Britt, Y. Ma and L. Killian, Proc. 23rd IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf. 389 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  2. H. B. Serreze, S. Lis, M. R. Squillante, R. Turcotte, M. Talbot and G. Entine, Proc. 15th IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf. 1068 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. P. Albright, J. F. Jordan, B. Ackermann and R. R. Chamberlin, Solar Cells 27, 77 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. S. P. Albright, B. Ackermann and J. F. Jordan, IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 37, 434 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. M. L. Steigerwald and L. E. Brus, Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 19, 471 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. H. Weller, Adv. Mater. 5, 88 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Weller, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 32, 41 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. R. F. Service, Science 271, 920 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. L. E. Brus, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 5566 (1983).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. A. J. Nozik, F. Williams, M. T. Nenadovic’, T. Rahj and O. Mic’ic’, J. Phys. Chem. 89, 397 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S. C. Richtsmeier, E. K. Parks, K. Liu, L. G. Pobo and S. J. Riley, J. Chem. Phys. 82, 3659 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. D. D. Beck and R. W. Siegel, J. Mater. Res. 7, 2840 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. J. M. Nedeljkovic’, M. T. Nenadovic’, O. I. Mic’ic’ and A. J. Nozik, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 12 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Y. Wang and W. Mahler, Opt. Commun. 61, 233 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. L. Banyai, Y. Z. Hu, M. Lindberg and S. W. Koch, Phys. Rev. B 38, 8142 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. A. N. Goldstein, C. M. Echer and A. P. Alivisatos, Science 256, 1425 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. A. Chemseddine and M. L. Fearheiley, Thin Solid Films 247, 3 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. A. P. Alivisatos and A. N. Goldstein, United States Patent 5 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  19. R. P. Andres, R. S. Averback, W. L. Brown, L. E. Brus, W. A. Goddard, A. Kaldor, S. G. Louie, M. Moscovits, P. S. Peercy, S. J. Riley, R. W. Siegel, F. Spaepen and Y. Wang, J. Mater. Res. 4, 704 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. M. Pehnt, D. L. Schulz, C. J. Curtis, K. M. Jones and D. S. Ginley, Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 2176 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Pehnt, D. L. Schulz, C. J. Curtis, H. R. Moutinho, A. Schwartzlander and D. S. Ginley, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. (in press) (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  22. R. F. Jarvis, M. Müllenborn, B. G. Yacobi, N. M. Haegel and R. B. Kaner, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 272, 229 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. M. Müllenborn, R. F. Jarvis, B. G. Yacobi, R. B. Kaner, C. C. Coleman and N. M. Haegel, Appl. Phys. A 56, 3217 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. C. B. Murray, D. J. Norris and M. G. Bawendi, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 8706 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. D. L. Schulz, C. J. Curtis, M. Pehnt and D. S. Ginley, Patent Application on File (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  26. D. L. Schulz and C. J. Curtis, unpublished results (1995).

  27. P. E. Lippens and M. Lannoo, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 6, A157 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Kim M. Jones and David W. Niles are kindly acknowledged for TEM and XPS characterization, respectively. This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, Chemical Sciences Division and Materials Science Division and the U.S. Department of Energy National PV Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401-3393, USA

    Douglas L. Schulz, Martin Pehnt, Calvin J. Curtis & David S. Ginley

Authors
  1. Douglas L. Schulz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martin Pehnt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Calvin J. Curtis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David S. Ginley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schulz, D.L., Pehnt, M., Curtis, C.J. et al. CdTe Thin Films: Spray Deposition Using a Nanoparticle Ink Precursor. MRS Online Proceedings Library 426, 349–354 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-426-349

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-426-349

Search

Navigation