Prospective study of copper sulfide nanofilms

This keynote talk will be devoted to describe hexagonal Cu₂S p-type semiconductor thin film fabrication using DC magnetron sputtering. Nanofilms with thickness gradient were successfully deposited by taking advantage of the deposition geometry and target dimensions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the exclusive formation of the hexagonal Cu₂S phase. Elemental composition and thickness dependence with sample position were determined using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Optical properties, including the optical bandgap and refractive index were assessed by modeling transmittance spectra. XRD data analysis successfully determined the film thickness as a function of sample position, aligning well with thickness values derived from transmittance spectra analyses. These results were further supported by film thickness values obtained from cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Charge carrier density and mobility, extracted from the optical models, were found to be consistent with DC electrical measurements.