Optimized annealing regime of CuGaSe2 nanoparticles prepared by solvothermal method

The single phase CGS nanoparticles were synthesized by solvothermal method. The optimal annealing regime of synthesis stage was determined as 180 °C for 12 h followed by an extra annealing at 230 °C for 12 h. The phase improvements were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Grain size ranging from 20–50 nm was obtained by SEM and TEM images and confirmed by Scherrer's formula. Band gap of 2.48 eV and a broad PL spectrum peaking at 3.16 eV were resulted respectively from studies on UV-Visible absorption and photoluminescence (PL) patterns of the synthesized nanoparticles.