Synthesis of Cu2ZnSnSe4 compound powders by solid state reaction using elemental powders

The solid state reaction method was used to synthesize single phase and near stoichiometric Cu2ZnSnSe4 compound from elemental Cu, Zn, Sn and Se powders in a quartz tube furnace under an Ar flow at atmospheric pressure. These elemental powders were initially milled using zirconia balls. The α-CuSe phase was present in all of the milled powders because of the mechanical alloying effect between the Cu and Se powders. The solid state reaction mechanism was examined for the synthesis process. The phase analysis suggested that the Cu2ZnSnSe4 powder crystallized into the stannite phase with a high degree of crystallinity after near stoichiometric molar ratios of the powders was reacted at 500 °C for 6 h. This study showed that the solid state reaction method was a straightforward technique for the synthesis of the Cu2ZnSnSe4 compound powders from the elemental powders.