Control of gallium incorporation in sol–gel derived CuIn(1−x)GaxS2 thin films for photovoltaic applications

[Display omitted] •CuIn(1−x)GaxS2 thin films were prepared by sol–gel process.•Evolution of lattice parameters is characteristic of a solid solution.•Optical band gap was found to be linearly dependent on the gallium rate. In this paper, we report the elaboration of Cu(In,Ga)S2 chalcopyrite thin films via a sol–gel process. To reach this aim, solutions containing copper, indium and gallium complexes were prepared. These solutions were thereafter spin-coated onto the soda lime glass substrates and calcined, leading to metallic oxides thin films. Expected chalcopyrite films were finally obtained by sulfurization of oxides layers using a sulfur atmosphere at 500°C. The rate of gallium incorporation was studied both at the solutions synthesis step and at the thin films sulfurization process. Elemental and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses have shown the efficiency of monoethanolamine used as a complexing agent for the preparation of CuIn(1−x)GaxS2 thin layers. Moreover, the replacement of diethanolamine by monoethanolamine has permitted the substitution of indium by isovalent gallium from x=0 to x=0.4 and prevented the precipitation of copper derivatives. XRD analyses of sulfurized thin films CuIn(1−x)GaxS2, clearly indicated that the increasing rate of gallium induced a shift of XRD peaks, revealing an evolution of the lattice parameter in the chalcopyrite structure. These results were confirmed by Raman analyses. Moreover, the optical band gap was also found to be linearly dependent upon the gallium rate incorporated within the thin films: it varies from 1.47eV for x=0 to 1.63eV for x=0.4.