Preparation of AlSb thin films using aluminum–antimony alloying target by magnetron sputtering and its deliquescence prevention approach

Aluminum antimony (AlSb) is a kind of promising III–V material for solar cells and AlSb films that can be used as absorber layer in the thin-film solar cells. In this paper, AlSb thin films are fabricated on FTO substrate by DC magnetron sputtering using AlSb:Zn target. In order to prevent the AlSb films from deliquescence, electronic thin-film packaging with back contact is presented. The electronic packaging consists of three thin-film layers, and they are Ni/acrylic resin and Ni layers, respectively. The two Ni films are connected by lots of via holes. The three layers form a multilayer Ni/acrylic resin/Ni which is electroconductive. Protect effect of the electronic packaging is evaluated by observing the change of its surface by SEM. Experimental result shows that the AlSb films without any protection are damaged badly by the moisture when it is left in the air for 30 days. But the AlSb films with electronic packaging are not damaged under the same conditions.