Atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) deposit highly conformal films, and hence are important tools for developing nanostructured solar cells with scalability. Solar cells that utilize Earth-abundant materials are more cost-effective and sustainable. One such material of great interest is Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS), which has reached an efficiency of 12.6% in solar cells.

We use ALD and CVD to prepare composite thin films of ZnS/Cu₂S, Cu₂SnS₃ and Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS). Our characterization methods include optical spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, transport measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy.

We also collaborate with the Bridges lab, which uses extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) to probe the local environment about different atoms and can give very precise ratios of elements using their fluorescence peaks.