Crystalline Antimony Selenide Thin Films for Optoelectronics through Photonic Curing

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Thermal annealing is the most common postdeposition technique used to crystallize antimony selenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) thin films. However, due to slow processing speeds and a high energy cost, it is incompatible with the upscaling and commercialization of Sb 2 Se 3 for future photovoltaics. Herein, for the first time, a fast-annealing technique that uses millisecond light pulses to deliver energy to the sample is adapted to cure thermally evaporated Sb 2 Se 3 films. This study demonstrates how photonic curing (PC) conditions affect the outcome of Sb 2 Se 3 phase conversion from amorphous to crystalline by evaluating the films’ crystalline, morphological, and optical properties. We show that Sb 2 Se 3 is readily converted under a variety of different conditions, but the zone where suitable films for optoelectronic applications are obtained is a small region of the parameter space. Sb 2 Se 3 annealing with short pulses (<3 ms) shows significant damage to the sample, while using longer pulses (>5 ms) and a 4–5 J cm –2 radiant energy produces (211)- and (221)-oriented crystalline Sb 2 Se 3 with minimal to no damage to the sample. A proof-of-concept photonically cured Sb 2 Se 3 photovoltaic device is demonstrated. PC is a promising annealing method for large-area, high-throughput annealing of Sb 2 Se 3 with various potential applications in Sb 2 Se 3 photovoltaics.