TY  - EJOU
AU  - Chalapathi, U. 
AU  - Prasad, P. R. 
AU  - Reddy, C. P. 
AU  - Sambasivam, S. 
AU  - Rosaiah, P. 
AU  - Ouladsmane, M. 
AU  - Alhammadi, S. 
AU  - Lee, S. M. 
AU  - Park, S. H. 

TI  - Synthesis of wittichenite Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> thin films by sulfurizing thermally evaporated Cu-Bi metallic stacks
T2  - Chalcogenide Letters

PY  - 2023
VL  - 20
IS  - 11
SN  - 1584-8663

AB  - Wittichenite Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> thin films have received significant interest as light harvesters owing to 
their suitable optoelectronic properties and presence of earth-abundant, and non-toxic elements. 
We have synthesized Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> thin films by a two-stage process; in which, Cu/Bi/Cu metallic 
stacks were thermally evaporated and then sulfurized at 400℃ for 10–60 min in a quartz 
tubular furnace. The influence of sulfurization time on the structural, microstructural, 
compositional, optical, and electrical properties of the films was investigated. The results 
revealed that the films were orthorhombic Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> with the following lattice parameters: a = 
0.768 nm; b = 1.043 nm; and c = 0.674 nm. Films uniformity, compactness, and crystal grain 
size increased upon increasing the sulfurization duration. On increasing the sulfurization 
time, the elemental stoichiometry of the films improved, and the direct optical bandgap 
increased from 1.38 to 1.40 eV. Additionally, Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> films exhibited p-type electrical 
conductivity and the electrical resistivity decreased with the increasing sulfurization time. 
Consequently, the Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> films synthesized at 30- and 60-min sulfurization durations can be 
applied to thin-film solar cells. 
KW  - Cu<sub>3</sub>BiS<sub>3</sub> films
KW  -  Evaporation
KW  -  Sulfurization
KW  -  Structural properties
KW  -  Optical bandgap
KW  -  Electrical properties

DO  - 10.15251/CL.2023.2011.797