OPTICAL AND STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF COPPER

ALUMINUM DISELENIDE (CuAlSe2) COMPOUND THIN

FILMS

ABSTRACT

A low cost chemical bath deposition technique has been used for the preparation of Copper aluminum diselenide (CuAlSe2) thin films onto commercial microscope glass substrates. The values of deposition parameters were varied such as temperature (50-70oC), deposition time (12 – 60hrs), volume of complexiing agent (1-9ml) and bath pH (8.35 – 10.10) to obtain good quality thin films. The optical, structural and morphological properties of thin films were studied by Jenway Software 6405 UV – VIS Spectrophotometer, X-ray minidiffractometer MD – 10 and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies respectively. The optical property revealed that CuAlSe2 films have energy band gaps range value at room temperature and elevated temperature as 2.22 – 2.58eV and 2.00 – 2.14eV respectively. The X-ray diffraction study showed that the CuAlSe2 films were polycrystalline in nature with the preferential orientation along the (112) plane. The Scanning Electron Microscopy results indicated that the films were smooth, uniform and the substrate surface was covered completely at these experimental conditions.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page -

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Certification

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Dedication

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Acknowledgements

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Abstract  -

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Table of contents

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vii

List of figures

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List of tables

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xix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background of Study

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1.2

Photovoltaic Energy

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1.3

Purpose of Study

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1.4

Scope of Study

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1.5

Significance of Study

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1.6

Research Methodology

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