Structural and optical study of ZnS thin films prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures

Abstract

ZnS thin films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) sputtering with substrate temperatures from room temperature to 400°C. The effect of substrate temperature on structural and optical properties for the ZnS films was investigated. The systematic investigation at different substrate temperatures of the properties of sputtered ZnS films especially optical constants obtained through spectroscopic ellipsometry can provide some guidance for ZnS films to be applied in thin film solar cells as buffer layers. The choice of sputtering fabrication method may promote the full sputtering technique route in CIGS or CZTS solar cells which is beneficial to the solar cell industrialization.