Electrical characterization of CZTS thin film prepared by high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) deposition

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were fabricated using high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) method and their chemical composition, surface morphology, and it's resistivity were investigated. Tools such as energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze the CZTS thin films. AFM was used to investigate the shape and roughness of the film's surface. EDX was used to analyse the chemical compositions of the prepared samples, and the films demonstrated the non-stoichiometry of CZTS. The thickness of CZTS film was determined using surface profiler and cross-sectional image. The results of XRD pattern revealed the (112), (220), and (312) CZTS peaks. The development of a quaternary Cu2ZnSnS4 phase with a high preferred orientation along the (112) plane is confirmed by this experiments.