Structure and optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon-tin alloys prepared using the sputter-assisted plasma chemical deposition technique

In this work the results of studies on hydrogenated amorphous C-Sn semiconducting alloys whose optoelectrical properties were found to be attractive for optical applications in solar energy conversion technology are reported and discussed. The films were obtained by sputtering β-Sn targets in a plasma atmosphere of methane and argon in variable proportions at room temperature. The optical and electrical parameters were measured and correlated to the elemental composition, the chemical bondings and the amorphicity of the material. Moreover, the effects of the deposition parameters on the composition and the structure of the films were identified so that control of the photoelectrical and structural parameters could be affected by choosing suitable values for the deposition parameters.