This work investigates the impact of the elemental sulfur evaporation during or after KF-post deposition treatment (KF-PDT) on the resulting Cu(In,Ga)Se2/chemical bath deposited(CBD)-CdS interface. Chemical composition of the various interfaces were determined through Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray induced Auger spectroscopy (XAES). Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber which experienced KF-PDT in selenium atmosphere (KSe sample) exhibits the formation of the well-reported In-Se based topping layer. Additional exposure to elemental sulfur, resulting in KSe+S sample, induces the partial sulfurization of this overlayer and/or of the absorber. After short immersion into the CdS bath, the resulting In-rich surfaces of KSe and KSe+S are likely to turn into few atomic layers of Cd-In-(Se/S)-O whose [S]/[Se]+[S] ratio and O content depend on their respective post deposition treatment. In contrast, KF-PDT performed in S atmosphere does not show an In-rich surface, making the early stage of CdS growth similar to that observed on untreated CIGSe.
Keywords: CdS; Cu(In,Ga)Se2; X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy; alkali fluoride post deposition treatment; interface; sulfurization.