Synthesis of single phase chalcopyrite CuIn1−xGaxSe2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoparticles by one-pot method

• A facile and rapid one-pot synthesis method is presented.
• The effects of various Ga contents are investigated.
• Single phase chalcopyrite CuIn1−xGaxSe2 nanoparticles can be easily synthesized.
• The phase formation sequence is from CuSe to CuGaSe2, then to CuIn1−xGaxSe2.
• The possible reaction mechanism of CuIn1−xGaxSe2 nanoparticles is proposed.

Single phase chalcopyrite and near stoichiometric CuIn1−xGaxSe2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by using a facile and rapid one-pot method. The effects of various Ga contents on crystal phase, morphology, element composition and absorption spectrum of the as-synthesized CuIn1−xGaxSe2 nanoparticles were investigated in detail. The XRD and Raman patterns indicated that the as-synthesized nanoparticles had a single phase chalcopyrite structure, and the diffraction peaks shifted toward larger diffraction angles or higher frequencies with increasing Ga content. The FE-SEM images showed that the as-synthesized nanoparticles were polydispersed in both size and shape, and the nanoparticles with higher Ga content were more prone to aggregate. The Vis–IR absorption spectra showed strong absorption in the entire visible light region. The estimated band gap increased from 1.00 eV to 1.68 eV as Ga content increasing.

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