Electrosynthesis and studies on Cadmium-Indium-Selenide thin films

Thin films of Cadmium Indium Selenide (CdIn2Se4) have been deposited on indium doped tin oxide coated conducting glass (ITO) substrates using potentiostatic cathodic electrodeposition technique. Cyclic voltammetry has been carried out in order to fix the deposition potential in the range between −1500 and +600 mV versus SCE. X-ray diffraction pattern shows that the deposited films exhibit tetragonal structure with most prominent reflection along (200) plane. The dependency of microstructural parameters such as crystallite size, strain and dislocation density with deposition potential has been studied. Surface morphology and film composition have been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis by X-rays, respectively. EDX analysis reveals that films with well defined stoichiometry has been obtained at a deposition potential −950 mV versus SCE. The optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient are evaluated from optical absorption measurements. The experimental observations are discussed in detail.