Electrochemically deposited photoactive CdIn2Se4 thin films: Structural and optical studies
Ju-Hyun Ahna, Gangri Caia, Rajaram S. Manea, V.V. Todkara, Arif V. Shaikha, Hoeil Chunga, Moon-Young Yoona and Sung-Hwan Han, a,
aInorganic Nano-Materials Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Sungdong-Ku, Haengdang 17, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea Received 28 February 2007; revised 12 April 2007; accepted 15 April 2007. Available online 3 May 2007.
Abstract
Electrochemical synthesis of photoactive cadmium–indium–selenide (CdIn2Se4) thin films at ambient temperature was reported. The nanocrystalline nature and 1:2:4 elemental chemical stoichiometric ratio for Cd, In and Se were obtained from the X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, respectively. Irregular shaped islands of about 400–500 nm in sizes composed of large number of small (30–40 nm) spherical grains were confirmed from the atomic force microscopy and the scanning electron microscopy images. The photoelectrochemical measurement of CdIn2Se4 film electrode in presence of 1 M polysulphide electrolyte revealed 0.42% photoelectrochemical device conversion efficiency, under the light illumination intensity of 80 mW/cm2.