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Wang C, Wang T, Liu Y, Li M, Ma D, Ding Z, Zhu Y, Sun Y, Sun X, Shi L, Ding N, Li Y, Yao B. Improvement of Performance of CZTSSe Solar Cells by the Synergistic Effect of Back Contact Modification and Ag Doping. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:26182-26194. [PMID: 38736356 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c02987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
To improve the performance of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells, a strategy is proposed to improve the quality of absorber and back interface simultaneously by substituting V-doped Mo (Mo:V) for a conventional Mo back electrode and incorporating Ag into the Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (ACZTSSe) absorber in this work. Since p+-type V-doped MoSe2 (MoSe2:V) is formed in the site between the absorber and Mo:V during selenization, the conventional Mo/n-MoSe2 back contact is modified to Mo:V/p+-MoSe2:V, a back surface passivation field (BSPF) is established at the back interface, the band bending of MoSe2:V is downward and that of bottom of the absorber is upward. Further investigation reveals that the back contact modification and Ag doping have a synergistic effect on inhibiting carrier recombination, decreasing series resistance and increasing shunt resistance, thereby leading to the PCE of device without antireflection coating increased from 8.61 to 10.98%, which is larger than the sum of increase in PCE induced by Ag doping alone (8.61 to 9.66%) and back contact modification alone (8.61 to 9.63%). It is demonstrated that the synergistic effect stems mainly from the strengthened BSPF and the further reduced back contact barrier height. The former is due to the increased difference in work function (WF) between MoSe2:V and absorber induced by the reduced WF of the absorber after Ag doping and the raised WF of MoSe2:V after V doping. The latter is due to the downshifted valence band maximum of absorber after Ag doping. This work highlights the synergistic effect of back contact modification and Ag doping on improving the performance of CZTSSe solar cells and also provides an effective way to suppress carrier recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunkai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Ting Wang
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Yue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Mengge Li
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Ding Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Zhanhui Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Yuting Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Xiaofei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Liyuan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Ning Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Yongfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Bin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material, College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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2
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Wei H, Cui C, Li Y, Wu Z, Wei Y, Han Y, Han L, Lu B, Wang X, Pang S, Shao Z, Cui G. Regulating Hetero-Nucleation Enabling Over 14% Efficient Kesterite Solar Cells. Small 2024; 20:e2308266. [PMID: 38100155 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Developing well-crystallized light-absorbing layers remains a formidable challenge in the progression of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells. A critical aspect of optimizing CZTSSe lies in accurately governing the high-temperature selenization reaction. This process is intricate and demanding, with underlying mechanisms requiring further comprehension. This study introduces a precursor microstructure-guided hetero-nucleation regulation strategy for high-quality CZTSSe absorbers and well-performing solar cells. The alcoholysis of 2-methoxyethanol (MOE) and the generation of high gas-producing micelles by adding hydrogen chloride (HCl) as a proton additive into the precursor solution are successfully suppressed. This tailored modification of solution components reduces the emission of volatiles during baking, yielding a compact and dense precursor microstructure. The reduced-roughness surface nurtures the formation of larger CZTSSe nuclei, accelerating the ensuing Ostwald ripening process. Ultimately, CZTSSe absorbers with enhanced crystallinity and diminished defects are fabricated, attaining an impressive 14.01% active-area power conversion efficiency. The findings elucidate the influence of precursor microstructure on the selenization reaction process, paving a route for fabricating high-quality kesterite CZTSSe films and high-efficiency solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wei
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Changcheng Cui
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Yimeng Li
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Zucheng Wu
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Yijin Wei
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Yaliang Han
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Lin Han
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Boyang Lu
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Shuping Pang
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Zhipeng Shao
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
| | - Guanglei Cui
- Qingdao Industrial Energy Storage Research Institute, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
- Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao, 266101, P. R. China
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Li Y, Jian Y, Huang F, Zhou N, Chai W, Hu J, Zhao J, Su Z, Chen S, Liang G. Suppressing Deep-Level Trap Toward Over 13% Efficient Solution-Processed Kesterite Solar Cell. Small 2024:e2401330. [PMID: 38623959 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSn (S,Se)4 (CZTSSe), a promising absorption material for thin-film solar cells, still falls short of reaching the balance limit efficiency due to the presence of various defects and high defect concentration in the thin film. During the high-temperature selenization process of CZTSSe, the diffusion of various elements and chemical reactions significantly influence defect formation. In this study, a NaOH-Se intermediate layer introduced at the back interface can optimize Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)precursor films and subsequently adjust the Se and alkali metal content to favor grain growth during selenization. Through this back interface engineering, issues such as non-uniform grain arrangement on the surface, voids in bulk regions, and poor contact at the back interface of absorber layers are effectively addressed. This method not only optimizes morphology but also suppresses deep-level defect formation, thereby promoting carrier transport at both interfaces and bulk regions of the absorber layer. Consequently, CZTSSe devices with a NaOH-Se intermediate layer improved fill factor, open-circuit voltage, and efficiency by 13.3%. This work initiates from precursor thin films via back interface engineering to fabricate high-quality absorber layers while advancing the understanding regarding the role played by intermediate layers at the back interface of kesterite solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingfen Li
- College of Materials and Energy Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China
| | - Yue Jian
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Fang Huang
- College of Materials and Energy Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China
| | - Nian Zhou
- College of Materials and Energy Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China
| | - Wanqiu Chai
- College of Materials and Energy Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550003, China
| | - Juguang Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Zhenghua Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Shuo Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Guangxing Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Radio Frequency Heterogeneous Integration, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
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4
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Park SW, He M, Jang JS, Kamble GU, Suryawanshi UP, Baek MC, Suryawanshi MP, Gang MG, Park Y, Choi HJ, Hao X, Shin SW, Kim JH. Facile Approach for Metallic Precursor Engineering for Efficient Kesterite Thin-Film Solar Cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:16328-16339. [PMID: 38516946 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Kesterite-based Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) are a promising candidate for low-cost, clean energy production owing to their environmental friendliness and the earth-abundant nature of their constituents. However, the advancement of kesterite TFSCs has been impeded by abundant defects and poor microstructure, limiting their performance potential. In this study, we present efficient Ag-alloyed CZTSSe TFSCs enabled by a facile metallic precursor engineering approach. The positioning of the Ag nanolayer in the metallic stacked precursor proves crucial in expediting the formation of Cu-Sn metal alloys during the alloying process. Specifically, Ag-included metallic precursors promote the growth of larger grains and a denser microstructure in CZTSSe thin films compared to those without Ag. Moreover, the improved uniformity of Ag, facilitated by the evaporation deposition technique, significantly suppresses the formation of detrimental defects and related defect clusters. This suppression effectively reduces nonradiative recombination, resulting in enhanced performance in kesterite TFSCs. This study not only introduces a metallic precursor engineering strategy for efficient kesterite-based TFSCs but also accelerates the development of microstructure evolution from metallic stacked precursors to metal chalcogenide compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Woo Park
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Mingrui He
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jun Sung Jang
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Girish U Kamble
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Umesh P Suryawanshi
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Myeong Cheol Baek
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Mahesh P Suryawanshi
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Myeng Gil Gang
- SCOTRA Corporation, R&D Center, Seoul 05855, South Korea
| | - Youseong Park
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Ho Jun Choi
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Xiaojing Hao
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Seung Wook Shin
- Future Agricultural Research Division, Rural Research Institute, Korea Rural Community Corporation, Ansan-si 15634, South Korea
| | - Jin Hyeok Kim
- Optoelectronics Convergence Research Center and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
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5
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Hwang SK, Park SJ, Park JH, Yoon JH, Yu Cho J, Cho DK, Heo J, Kim GY, Kim JY. Cs-treatments in Kesterite Thin-Film Solar Cells for Efficient Perovskite Tandems. Small 2024; 20:e2307175. [PMID: 38032159 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells are an attractive choice for a bottom cell of the low-cost and environmental tandem solar cells with perovskite. However, the progress in developing efficient perovskite/CZTSSe tandem solar cells has been hindered by the lack of high performance of the CZTSSe bottom cell. Here, an efficient CZTSSe bottom cell is demonstrated by adopting a facile and effective CsF treatment process. It is found that the CsF treatment not only facilitates grain growth and improves phase homogeneity by suppressing the detrimental deep-level defects and secondary phases, but also induces larger band bending and stronger drift force at the P-N junction. As a result, the carrier extraction/transport can be effectively accelerated, while reducing the interfacial recombination. These combined effects eventually result in a significant performance enhancement from 8.38% to 10.20%. The CsF-treated CZTSSe solar cell is finally applied to the mechanically-stacked perovskite/CZTSSe 4-terminal tandem cell by coupling a semi-transparent perovskite top cell, which exhibits the highest reported tandem efficiency of 23.01%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kyung Hwang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - So Jeong Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Ho Yoon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yu Cho
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Deok Ki Cho
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeyeong Heo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Gee Yeong Kim
- Advanced Photovoltaics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
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6
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Shah UA, Wang A, Irfan Ullah M, Ishaq M, Shah IA, Zeng Y, Abbasi MS, Umair MA, Farooq U, Liang GX, Sun K. A Deep Dive into Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) Solar Cells: A Review of Exploring Roadblocks, Breakthroughs, and Shaping the Future. Small 2024:e2310584. [PMID: 38470191 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Renewable energy is crucial for sustainable future, and Cu2 ZnSnS4 (CZTS) based solar cells shine as a beacon of hope. CZTS, composed of abundant, low-cost, and non-toxic elements, shares similarities with Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS). However, despite its promise and appealing properties for solar cells, CZTS-based solar cells faces performance challenges owing to inherent issues with CZTS material, and conventional substrate structure complexities. This review critically examines these roadblocks, explores ongoing efforts and breakthroughs, providing insight into the evolving landscape of CZTS-based solar cells research. Furthermore, as an optimistic turn in the field, the review first highlights the crucial need to transition to a superstrate structure for CZTS-based single junction devices, and summarizes the substantial progress made in this direction. Subsequently, dive into the discussion about the fascinating realm of CZTS-based tandem devices, providing an overview of the existing literature as well as outlining the possible potential strategies for enhancing the efficiency of such devices. Finally, the review provides a useful outlook that outlines the priorities for future research and suggesting where efforts should concentrate to shape the future of CZTS-based solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Ali Shah
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, via Giovanni Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, 50019, Italy
| | - Ao Wang
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Muhammad Irfan Ullah
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren'ai Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Muhammad Ishaq
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, P.R. China
| | - Imtiaz Alam Shah
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, International Islamic University, Islamabad, 04436, Pakistan
| | - Yiyu Zeng
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Misbah Sehar Abbasi
- College of Materials Science and Opto-Electronic Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Muhammad Ali Umair
- European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS), University of Florence, via Nello Carrara, 1, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, I-50019, Italy
| | - Umar Farooq
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang, 321004, P. R. China
| | - Guang-Xing Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, P.R. China
| | - Kaiwen Sun
- School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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7
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Xu SZ, Song YP, Yao B, Li MG, Ding ZH, Deng R, Liang HN, Du XB, Li YF. Improvement of Efficiency in Kesterite Solar Cells by Intentionally Inserting a Thin MoS 2 Layer into the Back Interface. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:11026-11034. [PMID: 38361494 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
A Mo(S,Se)2 interfacial layer is formed inevitably and uncontrollably between the Mo electrode and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber during the selenization process, which significantly influences the performance of CZTSSe solar cells. In this work, an ultrathin MoS2 layer is intentionally inserted into Mo/CZTSSe to reduce the recombination and thus optimize the interface quality. It is revealed that the absorber exhibits a continuous and compact morphology with bigger grains and remarkably without pinholes across the surface or cross-sectional regions after MoS2 modification. Benefitting from this, the shunt resistance (RSh) of the device increased evidently from ∼395 to ∼634 Ω·cm2, and simultaneously, the reverse saturation current density (J0) realized an effective depression. As a result, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the MoS2-modified device reaches 9.64% via the optimization of the thickness of the MoS2 layer, indicating performance improvements with respect to the MoS2-free case. Furthermore, the main contribution to the performance improvement is derived and analyzed in detail from the increased RSh, decreased J0, and diode ideality factor. Our results suggest that the Mo/CZTSSe interface quality and performance of CZTSSe solar cells can be modulated and improved by appropriately designing and optimizing the thickness of the inserted MoS2 layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Zhen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Yan-Ping Song
- Key Laboratory of Solid State Optoelectronic Devices of Zhejiang Province, College of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321004, P. R. China
| | - Bin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Ge Li
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Zhan-Hui Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Rui Deng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Heng-Nan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Bo Du
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Yong-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Superhard Material and College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Physics and Technology for Advanced Batteries (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
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8
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Aliti R, Putthisigamany Y, Chelvanathan P, Ristova M. Spin-coated CZTS films prepared by two different precursor mixing regimes, at room temperature and at 150 °C. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25354. [PMID: 38333860 PMCID: PMC10850906 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we examine the impact of the precursor's mixing temperature and mixing protocol on the crystal structure and morphological and optical properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films. Four samples of CZTS thin films were synthesized with the sol-gel spin coating technique by previously mixing precursors at (a) 150 °C and (b) room temperature (RT), either (i) all at once or (ii) through sequential adding the individual chemicals 30 min apart. SEM-EDX, XRD, Raman and Visible spectroscopy analysis showed that sample 150°C-ST (chemicals mixed at the same time at 150 °C) fulfilled all the theoretical stoichiometric criteria (poor in Cu, rich in Zn) for the high-quality CZTS absorbers. The larger grain size (850 nm) and crystallite size (73.96 nm), lower strain (0.49 × 10 - 3 ) and band gap E g = 1.44 e V which is closest to the Shockley-Queisser limit for single junction solar cells (1.34 eV).
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Aliti
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Arhimedova 3, 1000, Skopje, North Macedonia
- Department of Physics – Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tetovo, Ilindenska pn, 1200, Tetovo, North Macedonia
| | - Y. Putthisigamany
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), The National University of Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - P. Chelvanathan
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), The National University of Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - M. Ristova
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Arhimedova 3, 1000, Skopje, North Macedonia
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9
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Sun Q, Shi C, Xie W, Li Y, Zhang C, Wu J, Zheng Q, Deng H, Cheng S. Defect Synergistic Regulations of Li&Na Co-Doped Flexible Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 Solar Cells Achieving over 10% Certified Efficiency. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024; 11:e2306740. [PMID: 38054649 PMCID: PMC10853737 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Ion doping is an effective strategy for achieving high-performance flexible Cu2 ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells by defect regulations. Here, a Li&Na co-doped strategy is applied to synergistically regulate defects in CZTSSe bulks. The quality absorbers with the uniformly distributed Li and Na elements are obtained using the solution method, where the acetates (LiAc and NaAc) are as additives. The concentration of the harmful CuZn anti-site defects is decreased by 8.13% after Li incorporation, and that of the benign NaZn defects is increased by 36.91% after Na incorporation. Synergistic Li&Na co-doping enhances the carrier concentration and reduces the interfacial defects concentration by one order of magnitude. As a result, the flexible CZTSSe solar cell achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.53% with certified 10.12%. Because of the high PCE and the homogeneous property, the Li&Na co-doped device is fabricated to a large area (2.38 cm2 ) and obtains 9.41% PCE. The co-doping investigation to synergistically regulate defects provides a new perspective for efficient flexible CZTSSe solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanzhen Sun
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Chen Shi
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Weihao Xie
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Yifan Li
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Caixia Zhang
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Jionghua Wu
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Qiao Zheng
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringChangzhou213164P. R. China
| | - Hui Deng
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
| | - Shuying Cheng
- Institute of Micro‐Nano Devices and Solar CellsCollege of Physics and Information EngineeringFuzhou UniversityFuzhou350108P. R. China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of ChinaFuzhouFujian350108P. R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovoltaic Science and EngineeringChangzhou213164P. R. China
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10
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Moser S, Aribia A, Scaffidi R, Gilshtein E, Brammertz G, Vermang B, Tiwari AN, Carron R. Controlled Li Alloying by Postsynthesis Electrochemical Treatment of Cu 2ZnSn(S, Se) 4 Absorbers for Solar Cells. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2023; 6:12515-12525. [PMID: 38155875 PMCID: PMC10751737 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.3c02483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Li-alloying of Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorbers is widely accepted for its beneficial influence on the performance of CZTSSe-based thin film solar cells. Given the degraded morphology characteristic of absorbers synthesized in the presence of excess Li concentrations, it is speculated that Li may be best incorporated into the absorber after synthesis. Here, we report an innovative method to add Li to synthesized CZTSSe by an electrochemical treatment using a liquid electrolyte. Our approach decouples Li addition from absorber synthesis, allowing one to possibly overcome morphology issues associated with high Li concentration. We show that Li is thereby transferred to the absorber and is incorporated into the crystal lattice. The resulting Li concentration in the absorber can be easily controlled by the treatment parameters. Using liquid electrolytes allows a straightforward disassembly of the lithiation setup and hence the fabrication of solar cells after electrochemical treatment. Electrochemically lithiated solar cells reached power conversion efficiencies of up to 9.0%. Further optimization of this innovative method is required to reduce expected interface issues resulting from the electrochemical treatment to demonstrate a gain in the power conversion efficiency of the CZTSSe solar cells. Finally, our results indicate strong lateral Li diffusion, which deserves further investigation. Moreover, the method could be transferred to other material systems, such as Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS), and adapted to treat layers with other alkali elements such as Na.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Moser
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Abdessalem Aribia
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Romain Scaffidi
- IMO,
Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
imec, Wetenschapspark
1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- EnergyVille
2, Thor Park 8320, 3600 Genk, Belgium
- ICTEAM,
UCLouvain, Place du Levant
3/L5.03.02, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Evgeniia Gilshtein
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Guy Brammertz
- IMO,
Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
imec, Wetenschapspark
1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- EnergyVille
2, Thor Park 8320, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Bart Vermang
- IMO,
Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- IMOMEC,
imec, Wetenschapspark
1, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- EnergyVille
2, Thor Park 8320, 3600 Genk, Belgium
| | - Ayodhya N. Tiwari
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Romain Carron
- Laboratory
for Thin Films and Photovoltaics, Empa—Swiss
Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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11
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Rodriguez-Osorio KG, Morán-Lázaro JP, Ojeda-Martínez M, Montoya De Los Santos I, Ouarie NE, Feddi EM, Pérez LM, Laroze D, Routray S, Sánchez-Rodríguez FJ, Courel M. Analytical Modeling and Optimization of Cu 2ZnSn(S,Se) 4 Solar Cells with the Use of Quantum Wells under the Radiative Limit. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:2058. [PMID: 37513069 PMCID: PMC10384985 DOI: 10.3390/nano13142058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we present a theoretical study on the use of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 quantum wells in Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells to enhance device efficiency. The role of different well thickness, number, and S/(S + Se) composition values is evaluated. The physical mechanisms governing the optoelectronic parameters are analyzed. The behavior of solar cells based on Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 without quantum wells is also considered for comparison. Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 quantum wells with a thickness lower than 50 nm present the formation of discretized eigenstates which play a fundamental role in absorption and recombination processes. Results show that well thickness plays a more important role than well number. We found that the use of wells with thicknesses higher than 20 nm allow for better efficiencies than those obtained for a device without nanostructures. A record efficiency of 37.5% is achieved when 36 wells with a width of 50 nm are used, considering an S/(S + Se) well compositional ratio of 0.25.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina G Rodriguez-Osorio
- Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara, Carretera Guadalajara-Ameca Km. 45.5, Ameca C.P. 46600, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Juan P Morán-Lázaro
- Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara, Carretera Guadalajara-Ameca Km. 45.5, Ameca C.P. 46600, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ojeda-Martínez
- Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara, Carretera Guadalajara-Ameca Km. 45.5, Ameca C.P. 46600, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Isaac Montoya De Los Santos
- Instituto de Estudios de la Energía, Universidad del Istmo, Santo Domingo Tehuantepec C.P. 70760, Oaxaca, Mexico
| | - Nassima El Ouarie
- Group of Optoelectronic of Semiconductors and Nanomaterials, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10100, Morocco
| | - El Mustapha Feddi
- Group of Optoelectronic of Semiconductors and Nanomaterials, ENSAM, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat 10100, Morocco
- Institute of Applied Physics, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660, Hay Moulay Rachid, Ben Guerir 43150, Morocco
| | - Laura M Pérez
- Departamento de Física, FACI, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7D, Arica 1000000, Chile
| | - David Laroze
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7D, Arica 1000000, Chile
| | - Soumyaranjan Routray
- Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 603203, India
| | | | - Maykel Courel
- Centro Universitario de los Valles, Universidad de Guadalajara, Carretera Guadalajara-Ameca Km. 45.5, Ameca C.P. 46600, Jalisco, Mexico
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12
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Henríquez R, Nogales PS, Moreno PG, Cartagena EM, Bongiorno PL, Navarrete-Astorga E, Dalchiele EA. One-Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of Cu 2ZnSnS 4 Nanoparticles as an Efficient Visible Light Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Congo Red Azo Dye. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:nano13111731. [PMID: 37299634 DOI: 10.3390/nano13111731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A hydrothermal method was successfully employed to synthesize kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy were used for characterization of structural, chemical, morphological, and optical properties. XRD results confirmed that a nanocrystalline CZTS phase corresponding to the kesterite structure was formed. Raman analysis confirmed the existence of single pure phase CZTS. XPS results revealed the oxidation states as Cu+, Zn2+, Sn4+, and S2-. FESEM and TEM micrograph images revealed the presence of nanoparticles with average sizes between 7 nm to 60 nm. The synthesized CZTS nanoparticles bandgap was found to be 1.5 eV which is optimal for solar photocatalytic degradation applications. The properties as a semiconductor material were evaluated through the Mott-Schottky analysis. The photocatalytic activity of CZTS has been investigated through photodegradation of Congo red azo dye solution under solar simulation light irradiation, proving to be an excellent photo-catalyst for CR where 90.2% degradation could be achieved in just 60 min. Furthermore, the prepared CZTS was reusable and can be repeatedly used to remove Congo red dye from aqueous solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Henríquez
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Paula Salazar Nogales
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Paula Grez Moreno
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Eduardo Muñoz Cartagena
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Patricio Leyton Bongiorno
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla 4059, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Elena Navarrete-Astorga
- Laboratorio de Materiales y Superficie, Departamento de Física Aplicada I, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain
| | - Enrique A Dalchiele
- Instituto de Física, Facultad de Ingeniería, Herrera y Reissig 565, C.C. 30, Montevideo 11000, Uruguay
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13
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Wu T, Hu J, Chen S, Zheng Z, Cathelinaud M, Ma H, Su Z, Fan P, Zhang X, Liang G. Energy Band Alignment by Solution-Processed Aluminum Doping Strategy toward Record Efficiency in Pulsed Laser-Deposited Kesterite Thin-Film Solar Cell. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023. [PMID: 36880785 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c22174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Kesterite-based Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin-film photovoltaics involve a serious interfacial dilemma, leading to severe recombination of carriers and insufficient band alignment at the CZTS/CdS heterojunction. Herein, an interface modification scheme by aluminum doping is introduced for CZTS/CdS via a spin coating method combined with heat treatment. The thermal annealing of the kesterite/CdS junction drives the migration of doped Al from CdS to the absorber, achieving an effective ion substitution and interface passivation. This condition greatly reduces interface recombination and improves device fill factor and current density. The JSC and FF of the champion device increased from 18.01 to 22.33 mA cm-2 and 60.24 to 64.06%, respectively, owing to the optimized band alignment and remarkably enhanced charge carrier generation, separation, and transport. Consequently, a photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.65% was achieved, representing the highest efficiency in CZTS thin-film solar cells fabricated by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) to date. This work proposed a facile strategy for interfacial engineering treatment, opening a valuable avenue to overcome the efficiency bottleneck of CZTS thin-film solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
- CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes F-35000, France
| | - Juguang Hu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Shuo Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Zhuanghao Zheng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Michel Cathelinaud
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Hongli Ma
- CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes F-35000, France
| | - Zhenghua Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Ping Fan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Xianghua Zhang
- CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) UMR 6226, Univ Rennes, Rennes F-35000, France
| | - Guangxing Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, P. R. China
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14
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Amrillah T, Prasetio A, Supandi AR, Sidiq DH, Putra FS, Nugroho MA, Salsabilla Z, Azmi R. Environment-friendly copper-based chalcogenide thin film solar cells: status and perspectives. Mater Horiz 2023; 10:313-339. [PMID: 36537134 DOI: 10.1039/d2mh00983h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Copper chalcogenides (CuCh) have attracted considerable attention due to their promising potential as environmental-friendly photoactive material for lightweight and flexible thin film solar cells. Further, CuCh can be fabricated from simple to complex chemical compositions and offer a remarkable charge carrier mobility and excellent absorption coefficient with a desirable bandgap (up to ∼1.0 eV). Currently, they have demonstrated maximum power conversion efficiencies of over 23% for single-junction, around 25% and 28% for monolithic 2-Terminal (2T) and mechanically-stacked 4-Terminal (4T) perovskite/CuCh tandem solar cells, respectively. This article presents an overview of CuCh-based materials, from binary- to quaternary-CuCh compounds for single- and multi-junction solar cells. Then, we discuss the development of fabrication methods and the approaches taken to improve the performance of CuCh-based thin film itself, including chemical doping, the development of complement layers, and their potential application in flexible and lightweight devices. Finally, these technologies' stability, scalability, and toxicity aspects are discussed to enhance their current marketability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahta Amrillah
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Adi Prasetio
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center (KSC), Physical Sciences and Engineering Division (PSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | - Abdul Rohman Supandi
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| | - David Hadid Sidiq
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Fajar Sukamto Putra
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Muhammad Adi Nugroho
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Zahra Salsabilla
- Department of Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidisciplinary, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
| | - Randi Azmi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Solar Center (KSC), Physical Sciences and Engineering Division (PSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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15
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Boerasu I, Vasile BS. Current Status of the Open-Circuit Voltage of Kesterite CZTS Absorber Layers for Photovoltaic Applications-Part I, a Review. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:8427. [PMID: 36499922 PMCID: PMC9739897 DOI: 10.3390/ma15238427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Herein, based on the reviewed literature, the current marketability challenges faced by kesterite CZTS based-solar cells is addressed. A knowledge update about the attempts to reduce the open circuit voltage deficit of kesterite CZTS solar cells will be addressed, with a focus on the impact of Cu/Zn order/disorder and of Se doping. This review also presents the strengths and weaknesses of the most commercially attractive synthesis methods for synthesizing thin kesterite CZTS films for photovoltaic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulian Boerasu
- Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Atomistilor 409, 077125 Magurele, Romania
- National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica from Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Bogdan Stefan Vasile
- National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica from Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
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16
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Abstract
Inorganic-based thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) represents an important component of the growing low-carbon energy market and plays a vital role in the drive toward lower cost and increased penetration of solar energy. Yet, commercialized thin-film absorber technologies suffer from some non-ideal characteristics, such as toxic or non-abundant element use (e.g., CdTe and Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2, which bring into question their suitability for terawatt deployment. Numerous promising chalcogenide, halide, pnictide and oxide semiconductors are being pursued to bridge these concerns for TFPV and several promising paths have emerged, both as prospective replacements for the entrenched technologies, and to serve as partner (i.e., higher bandgap) absorbers for tandem junction devices-e.g., to be used with a lower bandgap Si bottom cell. The current perspective will primarily focus on emerging chalcogenide-based technologies and provide both an overview of absorber candidates that have been of recent interest and a deeper dive into an exemplary Cu2BaSnS4-related family. Overall, considering the combined needs of high-performance, low-cost, and operational stability, as well as the experiences gained from existing commercialized thin-film absorber technologies, chalcogenide-based semiconductors represent a promising direction for future PV development and also serve to highlight common themes and needs among the broader TFPV materials family.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Mitzi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
| | - Yongshin Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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17
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Friedrich D, Quintero MA, Hao S, Laing CC, Wolverton C, Kanatzidis MG. AInSn 2S 6 ( A = K, Rb, Cs)─Layered Semiconductors Based on the SnS 2 Structure. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:13525-13531. [PMID: 35960253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RbInSn2S6 and CsInSn2S6 are yellow two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors featuring anionic SnS2-type layers of edge-sharing (In/Sn)S6 octahedra. These structures are directly derived from the parent structure of SnS2 by replacement of Sn4+ atoms with A+ and In3+ atoms. The compounds crystallize, isotypic to the ion-exchange material KInSn2S6. They adopt the triclinic space group R3̅m (no. 166). The compounds have similar indirect optical band gaps of 2.31(5) eV for Rb and 2.47(5) eV Cs. The measured work functions for each material are ∼5.38 eV. The density functional theory-calculated effective mass values exhibit strong anisotropy due to the 2D nature of the crystal structures and in the case of CsInSn2S6 for hole carriers along the a, b, and c crystallographic directions are 0.30 m0, 0.34 m0, and 2.54 m0, respectively, while for electrons are 0.06 m0, 0.07 m0, and 0.47 m0, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Friedrich
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael A Quintero
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Shiqiang Hao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Craig C Laing
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Christopher Wolverton
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Mercouri G Kanatzidis
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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18
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Jeong WL, Park SH, Jho YD, Joo SK, Lee DS. The Role of the Graphene Oxide (GO) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) Intermediate Layer in CZTSSe Thin-Film Solar Cells. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:ma15103419. [PMID: 35629447 PMCID: PMC9144127 DOI: 10.3390/ma15103419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells with low cost and eco-friendly characteristics are attractive as future sources of electricity generation, but low conversion efficiency remains an issue. To improve conversion efficiency, a method of inserting intermediate layers between the CZTSSe absorber film and the Mo back contact is used to suppress the formation of MoSe2 and decomposition of CZTSSe. Among the candidates for the intermediate layer, graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO have excellent properties, including high-charge mobility and low processing cost. Depending on the type of GO, the solar cell parameters, such as fill factor (FF), were enhanced. Thus, the conversion efficiency of 6.3% was achieved using the chemically reduced GO intermediate layer with significantly improved FF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Soo-Kyung Joo
- Correspondence: (S.-K.J.); (D.-S.L.); Tel.: +82-62-715-2248 (D.-S.L.)
| | - Dong-Seon Lee
- Correspondence: (S.-K.J.); (D.-S.L.); Tel.: +82-62-715-2248 (D.-S.L.)
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19
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Assar A, Martinho F, Larsen J, Saini N, Shearer D, Moro MV, Stulen F, Grini S, Engberg S, Stamate E, Schou J, Vines L, Canulescu S, Platzer-Björkman C, Hansen O. Gettering in PolySi/SiO x Passivating Contacts Enables Si-Based Tandem Solar Cells with High Thermal and Contamination Resilience. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2022; 14:14342-14358. [PMID: 35297597 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Multijunction solar cells in a tandem configuration could further lower the costs of electricity if crystalline Si (c-Si) is used as the bottom cell. However, for direct monolithic integration on c-Si, only a restricted number of top and bottom cell architectures are compatible, due to either epitaxy or high-temperature constraints, where the interface between subcells is subject to a trade-off between transmittance, electrical interconnection, and bottom cell degradation. Using polySi/SiOx passivating contacts for Si, this degradation can be largely circumvented by tuning the polySi/SiOx stacks to promote gettering of contaminants admitted into the Si bottom cell during the top cell synthesis. Applying this concept to the low-cost top cell chalcogenides Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), CuGaSe2 (CGSe), and AgInGaSe2 (AIGSe), fabricated under harsh S or Se atmospheres above 550 °C, we show that increasing the heavily doped polySi layer thickness from 40 to up to 400 nm prevents a reduction in Si carrier lifetime by 1 order of magnitude, with final lifetimes above 500 μs uniformly across areas up to 20 cm2. In all cases, the increased resilience was correlated with a 99.9% reduction in contaminant concentration in the c-Si bulk, provided by the thick polySi layer, which acts as a buried gettering layer in the tandem structure without compromising the Si passivation quality. The Si resilience decreased as AIGSe > CGSe > CZTS, in accordance with the measured Cu contamination profiles and higher annealing temperatures. An efficiency of up to 7% was achieved for a CZTS/Si tandem, where the Si bottom cell is no longer the limiting factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Assar
- DTU Nanolab, National Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Filipe Martinho
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jes Larsen
- Division of Solar Cell Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nishant Saini
- Division of Solar Cell Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Denver Shearer
- DTU Nanolab, National Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marcos V Moro
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Stulen
- Department of Physics, University of Oslo, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sigbjørn Grini
- Department of Physics, University of Oslo, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sara Engberg
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Eugen Stamate
- DTU Nanolab, National Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Schou
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Lasse Vines
- Department of Physics, University of Oslo, 0371 Oslo, Norway
| | - Stela Canulescu
- Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Platzer-Björkman
- Division of Solar Cell Technology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ole Hansen
- DTU Nanolab, National Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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20
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Li J, Huang J, Cong J, Mai Y, Su Z, Liang G, Wang A, He M, Yuan X, Sun H, Yan C, Sun K, Ekins-Daukes NJ, Green MA, Hao X. Large-Grain Spanning Monolayer Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 Thin-Film Solar Cells Grown from Metal Precursor. Small 2022; 18:e2105044. [PMID: 34914176 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The persistent double layer structure whereby two layers with different properties form at the front and rear of absorbers is a critical challenge in the field of kesterite thin-film solar cells, which imposes additional nonradiative recombination in the quasi-neutral region and potential limitation to the transport of hole carriers. Herein, an effective model for growing monolayer CZTSe thin-films based on metal precursors with large grains spanning the whole film is developed. Voids and fine grain layer are avoided successfully by suppressing the formation of a Sn-rich liquid metal phase near Mo back contact during alloying, while grain coarsening is greatly promoted by enhancing mass transfer during grain growth. The desired morphology exhibits several encouraging features, including significantly reduced recombination in the quasi-neutral region that contributes to the large increase of short-circuit current, and a quasi-Ohmic back contact which is a prerequisite for high fill factor. Though this growth mode may introduce more interfacial defects which require further modification, the strategies demonstrated remove a primary obstacle toward higher efficiency kesterite solar cells, and can be applicable to morphology control with other emerging chalcogenide thin films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianjun Li
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jialiang Huang
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jialin Cong
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Yaohua Mai
- Institute of New Energy Technology, College of Information Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zhenghua Su
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Guangxing Liang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Advanced Thin Films and Applications, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Ao Wang
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Mingrui He
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Xiaojie Yuan
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Heng Sun
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Chang Yan
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Kaiwen Sun
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Ekins-Daukes
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Martin A Green
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Xiaojing Hao
- Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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21
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Eun Song J, Kyung Hwang S, Hyun Park J, Young Kim J. A Thin In 2 S 3 Interfacial Layer for Reducing Defects and Roughness of Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 Thin-Film Solar Cells. ChemSusChem 2022; 15:e202102350. [PMID: 34939335 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202102350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cu2 ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) has generated considerable research interest owing to its composition of abundant elements and excellent light-absorption properties. However, CZTSSe thin-film solar cells suffer from a considerable deficit in the open-circuit voltage (VOC ), which is mainly due to the severe interfacial recombination induced by the rough surface of CZTSSe and numerous physical defects. In this study, to improve the morphology and reduce the interfacial recombination, an In2 S3 passivation layer was introduced between the CZTSSe and CdS layers via a chemical bath deposition process, and the effects of the In2 S3 layer on the device performance were systematically examined by performing various electrodynamic analyses. The CZTSSe solar cells with thin In2 S3 layers exhibited impressive increases in VOC and conversion efficiency (from 7.33 to 9.24 %), due to the suppression of physical defects and the refined surface morphology resulting from filling the voids and pinholes. In addition, the nanoscale roughness of the In2 S3 /CZTSSe surface increased the number of nucleation sites for the CdS nuclei, which may reduce the activation energy of the heterogeneous nucleation. The presence of In2 S3 layer resulted in uniform growth of CdS without macroscopic CdS agglomerates (i. e., reduced roughness of full devices), which improved the quality of the interface. These findings confirmed that the reduction of physical defects and the improved deposition of the CdS layer enabled by the added In2 S3 passivation layer improved the device performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Eun Song
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Kyung Hwang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Park
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Advanced Materials (RIAM), Seoul National University, 08826, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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22
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Liu J, Liu Z, Gao K, Cai H, Liu Y, Zhao W, Liu X, Cheng K, Du Z. Back Shallow Ge Gradient Enhanced Carrier Separation for CZTSe Solar Cells through a Coselenization Process. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2021; 13:56302-56308. [PMID: 34788530 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c16861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Given the prominent success of the Ga gradient in CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGSe) solar cells, Ge gradient implementation is a promising way to boost Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells. However, Ge-graded CZTSSe solar cells only possess a low efficiency of 9.2%, far from that of Ge-incorporated CZTSSe without a gradient (12.3%). Herein, we demonstrated a shallow Ge gradient CZTSe solar cell with an improved efficiency over 10%. The Ge gradient was achieved through a GeSe2-Se coselenization process, where GeSe2 acts as a low-temperature fluxing agent to assist crystallization and induce Ge transport toward the back interface. The relieved band tails and improved junction quality, leading to a better carrier separation, were found to take a primary responsibility for device improvement. These results highlight a remarkable breakthrough for Ge-graded CZTSe solar cells and offer a promising way to develop Ge-involved solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingling Liu
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiwen Liu
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kang Gao
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hang Cai
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiqiang Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinsheng Liu
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuliang Du
- Key Laboratory for Special Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Nano Functional Materials and Applications, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
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23
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Duan B, Lou L, Meng F, Zhou J, Wang J, Shi J, Wu H, Luo Y, Li D, Meng Q. Two-Step Annealing CZTSSe/CdS Heterojunction to Improve Interface Properties of Kesterite Solar Cells. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2021; 13:55243-55253. [PMID: 34751555 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c18152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The post-heating treatment of the CZTSSe/CdS heterojunction can enhance the interfacial properties of kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells. In this regard, a two-step annealing method was developed to enhance the heterojunction quality for the first time. That is, a low-temperature (90 °C) process was introduced before the high-temperature treatment, and 12.3% efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells was achieved. Further investigation revealed that the CZTSSe/CdS heterojunction band alignment with a smaller spike barrier can be realized by the two-step annealing treatment, which assisted in carrier transportation and reduced the charge recombination loss, thus enhancing the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF) of the devices. In addition, the two-step annealing could effectively avoid the disadvantages of direct high-temperature treatment (such as more pinholes on CdS films and excess element diffusion), improve the CdS crystallization, and decrease the defect densities within the device, especially interfacial defects. This work provides an effective method to improve the CZTSSe/CdS heterojunction properties for efficient kesterite solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biwen Duan
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Licheng Lou
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fanqi Meng
- State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiazheng Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinlin Wang
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiangjian Shi
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
| | - Huijue Wu
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yanhong Luo
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Qingbo Meng
- Key Laboratory for Renewable Energy, Beijing Key Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Devices, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
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