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The effects of dopant impurities on Cu2ZnSnS4 system Raman properties

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Abstract

Impurities in Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) can alter the electronic and optical properties, which may reduce photovoltaic device efficiency. Phonon dispersion susceptibility can be used to investigate the effects of foreign dopants on pairing between atoms within lattice. In order to investigate the effect of free holes on the optical phonons and asymmetry in the Raman peaks due to impurities, Sb-, Fe-, and Ag-doped CZTS thin films were prepared and systematically studied. Doping with impurities causes a shift in Raman peak frequency as well as linewidth. An investigation has been made based on the reduced mass of the vibrating CZTS lattice that changes due to dopant addition. For polycrystalline Sb-doped CZTS, the predicted wavenumber shift for Raman ‘A’ mode follows a similar trend as evidenced in experiments and can be explained by the square-root relationship between frequency and the vibrating mass. Raman lineshape for Sb-doped CZTS thin films and nanocrystals becomes wider, asymmetric, and moves toward lower vibrational frequency when laser power density increases. Atomic force microscopy was also performed to examine surface properties.

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Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank JPK Instruments AG (Germany) and Asylum Research (USA) staff members for their help to acquire AFM images.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Utah, 135 S, 1460 E, Room 412, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Prashant K. Sarswat

  2. Department of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Utah, 135 S, 1460 E, Room 417, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Michael L. Free

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Correspondence to Prashant K. Sarswat.

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Sarswat, P.K., Free, M.L. The effects of dopant impurities on Cu2ZnSnS4 system Raman properties. J Mater Sci 50, 1613–1623 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8722-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-014-8722-1

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