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Study on the Structural and Electrical Properties of Sequentially Deposited Ag–Ga–In–Te Thin Films

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Abstract

The structural properties and electrical conduction mechanisms of Ag–Ga–In–Te thin films deposited by a combination of e-beam and thermal evaporation methods were studied for various annealing temperatures. Structural analysis showed the existence of In\(_{4}\)Te\(_{3}\) and In\(_{2}\)Te\(_{5}\) binary phases at the early stage of crystallization and monophase of AgGa\(_{0.5}\)In\(_{0.5}\)Te\(_{2}\) with the main orientation along (112) direction following the post-annealing at 400 \(^\circ \)C. The effects of the structural changes on electrical properties and temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of Ag–Ga–In–Te thin films were studied in the temperature range of 90–400 K. The analysis of electrical conductivity revealed the Efros–Shklovskii variable range hopping (VRH) mechanism in between 90 and 210 K and Mott VRH mechanisms for the temperature range of 250–400 K for all deposited films. The VRH parameters including average hopping distance, average hopping energy and characteristic temperature coefficient for Efros–Shklovskii and Mott VRH mechanisms were determined and discussed in detail.

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Abbreviations

VRH:

Variable range hopping

AGIT:

Ag–Ga–In–Te

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

EDXA:

Energy dispersive X-ray analysis

JCPDS:

Joint committee on powder diffraction standards

R\(^{2 }\) :

Correlation coefficient

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Acknowledgments

This work was financed by Middle East Technical University (METU-BAP) under Grant No. BAP-01-05-2013-005. Also, one of the authors would like to thank to The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey-BIDEP for the financial supports during this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    E. Coşkun, H. H. Güllü, M. Parlak & Ç. Erçelebi

  2. Department of Physics, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100, Çanakkale, Turkey

    E. Coşkun

  3. Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications (GÜNAM), METU, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    E. Coşkun, H. H. Güllü, M. Parlak & Ç. Erçelebi

Authors
  1. E. Coşkun
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  2. H. H. Güllü
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  3. M. Parlak
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  4. Ç. Erçelebi
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Correspondence to E. Coşkun.

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Coşkun, E., Güllü, H.H., Parlak, M. et al. Study on the Structural and Electrical Properties of Sequentially Deposited Ag–Ga–In–Te Thin Films. J Low Temp Phys 178, 162–173 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-014-1245-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-014-1245-y

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