Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of a CuInTe2 absorber for thin-film photovoltaics

Abstract

A solution-based process was developed for the preparation of a CuInTe 2 material that can be used as an absorber in thin-film photovoltaics. We performed a solvothermal synthesis under specific processing conditions to generate the CuInTe 2 material. The resulting product showed different diffraction patterns and morphology depending on the reaction time and temperature. We optimized the preparation process by investigating the reaction parameters to obtain CuInTe 2 particles with the desired properties. The resulting product exhibited a broad absorption spectrum from the near infrared through the visible region and had a favorable absorption coefficient. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.