Electrical properties from photoinduced charging on Cd-doped (100) surfaces of CuInSe2 epitaxial thin films

The photoresponse of Cd-doped CuInSe2 (CIS) epitaxial thin films on GaAs(100) was studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy under illumination from a 532 nm laser between sample temperatures of 28-260 °C. The initial, air-exposed surface shows little to no photoresponse in the photoelectron binding energies, the Auger electron kinetic energies or peak shapes. Heating between 50 and 130 °C in the analysis chamber results in enhanced n-type doping at the surface and an increased light-induced binding energy shift, the magnitude of which persists when the samples are cooled to room temperature from 130 °C but which disappears when cooling from 260 °C. Extra negative charge trapped on the Cu and Se atoms indicates deep trap states that dissociate after cooling from 260 °C. Analysis of the Cd modified Auger parameter under illumination gives experimental verification of electron charging on Cd atoms thought to be shallow donors in CIS. The electron charging under illumination disappears at 130 °C but occurs again when the sample is cooled to room temperature.