Investigation of the Conditions of Synthesis of Metal and Chalcopyrite Films from the Degradation Products of Electrodes of an Overstressed Nanosecond Discharge in Argon and Air

Abstract

The characteristics of an overstressed bipolar discharge with a duration of 100 - 150 ns in argon and air, which was ignited between copper electrodes in argon, and also between an aluminum electrode and a chalcopyrite (CuInSe2) electrode in air, are presented. In the process of microexplosions of inhomogeneities on the working surfaces of the electrodes in a strong electric field, vapor of copper, aluminum and vapor of ternary chalcopyrite are introduced into the interelectrode gap. This creates the prerequisites for the synthesis of thin copper films and the synthesis of films based on quaternary chalcopyrite - CuAlInSe2, which can be deposited on a quartz plate installed near the center of the discharge gap. The optical characteristics of the plasma, as well as voltage pulses across the discharge gap of d = 1 - 2 mm, current pulses and pulsed energy contributions to the discharge, have been investigated using emission spectroscopy with a high time resolution.The plasma emission spectra were thoroughly studied, which made it possible to establish the main decay products of the chalcopyrite molecule and the energy states of atoms and singly charged ions of aluminum, copper and indium, which are formed in the discharge. On the basis of the destruction products of aluminum and ternary chalcopyrite electrodes, thin films, which may have the composition of quaternary chalcopyrite, have been deposited outside the plasma, and the transmission spectra of thin films deposited at different air pressures in the discharge chamber are studied.