DFT electronic structure investigation of chromium ion-implanted cupric oxide thin films dedicated for photovoltaic absorber layers

This study explores the enhancement of cupric oxide (CuO) thin films for photovoltaic applications through chromium doping and subsequent annealing. Thin films of CuO were deposited on silicon and glass substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering. Chromium was introduced via ion implantation, and samples were annealed to restore the crystal structure. The optical and structural properties of the films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. Results indicated that implantation reduced the absorbance and conductivity of the films, while annealing effectively restored these properties. Sample implanted with 10 keV energy and 1 × 10