Cu2S/CIGS core/shell nanowire arrays with epitaxial CIGS growth

• Cu2S/CIGS core/shell nanowire is prepared by electrodepositing CIGS on Cu2S nanowire.
• The interplanar distance of Cu2S (2¯04) is close to that of CIGS (112).
• As the similar crystal structure of Cu2S and CIGS, CIGS shell grows epitaxially.
• Cu2S/CIGS core/shell nanowires exhibit higher light absorption than Cu2S nanowires.

Cu2S/CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2 (Cu2S/CIGS) core/shell nanowire arrays with epitaxial CIGS growth are synthesized by electrodepositing CIGS on Cu2S nanowire arrays. The electrodeposited CIGS is tetragonal CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2 with a band gap of 1.310 eV. The crystal structure of Cu2S is similar to that of CIGS. The interplanar distance of Cu2S (2¯04) is also similar to that of CIGS (112), so the CIGS shell grows epitaxially. Absorption measurements show that Cu2S/CIGS core/shell nanowire arrays exhibit higher light absorption than Cu2S nanowire arrays. Fabricating Cu2S/CIGS core/shell nanowire arrays with epitaxial CIGS growth shows promise for the preparation of single crystal CIGS one-dimensional nanostructures.