Effect of complexing agent on the properties of electrochemically deposited Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films

The Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films have been electrochemically deposited on Mo-coated glass substrate from weak acidic medium (pH 4.5–5) at room temperature. The effect of complexing agent (tri-sodium citrate) on the structural, morphological and compositional properties of CZTS thin films has been investigated. The as-deposited and annealed thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM),EDAX and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques for their structural, morphological, compositional and chemical properties, respectively. XRD studies reveal that the amorphous nature of as-deposited thin film changes into polycrystalline with kesterite crystal structure after annealing in Ar atmosphere. The film prepared without complexing agent showed well-covered surface morphology on the substrate with some cracks on the surface of the film whereas those prepared using complexing agent, exhibited uneven and slightly porous and some overgrown particles on the surface of the films. After annealing, morphology changes into the flat grains, uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. The EDAX and XPS study reveals that the films deposited using 0.2 M tri-sodium citrate are nearly stoichiometric.