Photonic curing of ligand-capped CuInSe2 nanocrystal films

CuInSe₂ nanocrystals capped with oleylamine or chalcogenidometallate (ChaM) clusters, also known as metal chalcogenide complexes (MCC), were deposited from solution and sintered by photonic curing with a high intensity pulsed white light source. Oleylamine-capped nanocrystals sinter via melting and resolidification, regardless of pulse power used in the curing process, resulting in non-uniform layers with significant regions of exposed back contact. ChaM-capped nanocrystals on the other hand could be sintered at significantly lower pulse power to avoid melting and retain layer integrity. At higher pulse power, ChaM-capped nanocrystals melt but adhere more uniformLy to the substrate.