title: Modification of light absorption in thin CuInS2 films by sprayed Au nanoparticles.
abstract: The chemical spray pyrolysis method was used to deposit CuInS2 (CIS) thin films and Au nanoparticles (NPs) in two configurations: glass/Au-NP layer covered with CuInS2 film (Au-NP/CIS) and glass/CuInS2 films covered with Au-NP layer (CIS/Au-NP). According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), the spray of 2 mM HAuCl4 aqueous solution with a volume of 2.5 to 15 ml onto a glass substrate at 340°C results in metallic Au nanoparticles with a similar mean crystallite size in the range of 30 - 38 nm. The mean crystallite sizes remain in the range of 15 - 20 nm when grown onto a CIS film. The prepared films show plasmonic light absorption with increasing intensity in the spectral range of 500- 800 nm when increasing the volume of HAuCl4 solution sprayed. When compared to bare CIS on glass, the absorptance was increased ca. 4.5 times in the case of glass/Au-NP/CIS and ca. 3 times in the case of glass/CIS/Au-NP configuration. The glass/Au-NP/CIS configuration had an advantage since Au-NP could be embedded without chemically damaging the CIS.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Thin Film Chemical Technologies, Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, EE-19086, Estonia, atanas.katerski@ttu.ee.
authors.forename: Atanas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katerski
authors.forename: Erki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kärber
authors.forename: Ilona Oja
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Acik
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dolgov
authors.forename: Arvo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mere
authors.forename: Ilmo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sildos
authors.forename: Valdek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mikli
authors.forename: Malle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krunks