Electrochemical etching of copper indium diselenide surface

CuInSe2 thin films were grown onto ITO surface by electrodeposition and annealed in the hydrogen atmosphere at 400 °C. The influence of traditional chemical etching (KCN etchant) and electrochemical etching at various potentials and values of solution pH (0.8–13) on the surface composition and morphology was studied using the EDX and SEM methods. The mechanism of CuInSe2 decomposition at various pH values was examined by cycling voltammetry. The influence of chemical and electrochemical etchings on electrical and optical characteristics of thin films was analyzed.