Room Temperature RF-Sputtered Cu2O Thin Films: A Promising Hole Transport Layer for Antimony Chalcogenide Solar Cells.

Abstract In this work, Cu2O thin films were deposited on glass by reactive sputtering at room temperature, varying the sputtering power and the oxygen partial pressure in the chamber. The thin films' electrical resistivity, optical, morphological, and structural properties were studied, and the results are presented and discussed. Single-phase Cu2O thin films were optimized using 120 W sputtering power and 0.7x10-6 bar of oxygen partial pressure. These deposition conditions were used to prepare copper oxide thin films onto an Sb2(S,Se)3 layer. The resulting Cu2O with its low electrical resistivity (~10^1 Ω-cm), comparable to the lowest Cu2O values ​​obtained with different growth techniques, and its smooth and compact morphology, providesinsights into its potential use as a hole transport layer in Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells.