Surface and structural characterization of CuInS2 thin films deposited by one-stage RF reactive sputtering

CuInS2 films were deposited on float glass substrates by a one-stage reactive RF sputter process using a Cu-In alloy target and H2S gas. The sputtered films generally have a (112) preferential orientation. X-ray reflectometry was used to measure the thickness, surface density as well as surface roughness of the sputtered films. The surface morphology of the films was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was performed to determine the composition of the films. XPS revealed that the film surfaces remain In-rich with respect to the bulk.