Amorphous and crystalline thin films of CuI and Cu-I based alloys by sputtering

• Applicant: Dr. Sofie Vogt
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 403159832

This Project aims to investigate the growth of semiconducting amorphous and crystalline CuI-based alloy thin films by sputtering for the use as transparent p-type channel layers in active devices. Sputtering is a versatile growth method, which is well established for industrial semiconductor deposition. The high carrier density of unintentionally doped sputtered crystalline CuI thin films currently impedes its use as active channel layer. Therefore, a cation doping or alloying with silver and indium, respectively, are intended to reduce the free carrier density and preserve high hole mobility in crystalline CuI thin films. Further, a cation alloying is investigated to achieve amorphous CuI-based alloy thin films. Due to the lack of grain boundaries, devices fabricated on amorphous thin films exhibit more uniform performance as required for upscaling. In-situ treatments such as thermal annealing and capping are optimized to stabilize the amorphous thin films.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2857: Copper Iodide as Multifunctional Semiconductor