Link between graphene features and the resulting functionality of quasi-van der Waals Zn₃P₂

Zn₃P₂, made from earth-abundant elements, is a promising candidate for thin-film solar cells but faces limitations due to difficulties in achieving n-type doping and its large lattice mismatch with commercial substrates and a high thermal expansion coefficient, causing defects and cracks. Graphene substrates can address these challenges thanks to its weak van der Waals interactions with Zn₃P₂ allowing for mechanical transfer of the thin film and strain-free growth. This study compares five graphene substrates for quasi-van der Waals epitaxial (q-vdWe) growth of polycrystalline Zn₃P₂ thin films using molecular beam epitaxy. Surface features like steps and wrinkles on graphene were identified as main nucleation sites for Zn₃P₂, provided the graphene has minimal point defects. The highest-quality thin films, with the largest grain sizes, were grown on H-CVD graphene on the Si-face of 6H-SiC, featuring solely terraces of atomic height. All substrates showed comparable growth windows for crystalline Zn₃P₂, with higher growth temperatures improving crystal quality, as indicated by enhanced photoluminescence. Cryo-cathodoluminescence measurements revealed spatially localized sub-bandgap emissions, potentially linked to localized strain fields at grain boundaries of up to ±3% as identified by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. This work provides insights into advantages and drawbacks of utilising q-vdWe to produce Zn₃P₂ thin films for solar cell applications and highlights the effects of graphene substrate choice and growth parameters on Zn₃P₂ film quality.