Mid-Infrared (MIR) Complex Refractive Index Spectra of Polycrystalline Copper-Nitride Films by IR-VASE Ellipsometry and Their FIB-SEM Porosity

Copper-nitride (Cu3N) semiconductor material is attracting much attention as a potential, next-generation thin-film solar light absorber in solar cells. In this communication, polycrystalline covalent Cu3N thin films were prepared using reactive-RF-magnetron-sputtering deposition, at room temperature, onto glass and silicon substrates. The very-broadband optical properties of the Cu3N thin film layers were studied by UV-MIR (0.2–40 μm) ellipsometry and optical transmission, to be able to achieve the goal of a low-cost absorber material to replace the conventional silicon. The reactive-RF-sputtered Cu3N films were also investigated by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy and both FTIR and Raman spectroscopies. The less dense layer was found to have a value of the static refractive index of 2.304, and the denser film had a value of 2.496. The iso-absorption gap, E04, varied between approximately 1.3 and 1.8 eV and could be considered suitable as a solar light absorber.