High absorbing CuInS2 thin films growing by oblique angle incidence deposition in presence of thermal gradient

Oblique angle deposition technique can generate nanostructures and has attracted the interest of many researchers. In this article we use this technique to investigate the physical properties of obliquely evaporated CulnS(2) films deposited onto substrates submitted to a thermal gradient. We show that the correlation between the obliquely angle deposition and the thermal gradient leads to an improvement in the optical properties of the films. Indeed high absorption coefficient (10(5)-3.10(5) cm(-1)) in the visible range and near-IR spectral range are reached for the small incident angles. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the films had a microstructure with columns that are progressively inclined as the incident angle was increased. (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.