Recent developments in the synthesis of nanostructured chalcopyrite materials and their applications: a review

Chalcopyrite materials, in particular CuInS2 (CIS), CuInSe2 (CISe) and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS), have drawn significant attention recently owing to their highly advantageous optoelectronic properties, making them well suited to their best known application in solar cells. In this review, we will introduce some of the recent advances in the field of chalcopyrite nanostructure synthesis and discuss the further benefits these nanostructured materials offer over their thin-film and bulk counterparts. We will highlight a number of synthesis methods that utilize both physical and chemical based techniques, encompassing vacuum, solvothermal and solution based approaches. The conclusion will briefly highlight some of the challenges that we are yet to overcome, whilst reiterating the benefits that nanostructured chalcopyrites have to offer.