Multimodal characterization of solution-processed Cu3SbS4 absorbers for thin film solar cells
Multimodal characterization of solution-processed Cu3SbS4 absorbers for thin film solar cells
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DOI：
10.1039/c8ta00001h
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发表时间：
2018-05
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Gustavo H. Albuquerque;Ki-Joong Kim;J. Lopez;A. Devaraj;S. Manandhar;Yi-sheng Liu;Jinghua Guo;
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Gustavo H. Albuquerque;Ki-Joong Kim;J. Lopez;A. Devaraj;S. Manandhar;Yi-sheng Liu;Jinghua Guo;
最高效的无机薄膜硫族化物太阳能电池使用 CdTe 或 CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) 作为吸收层，其依赖于有毒元素 (Cd) 和/或稀有元素（In、Te）。对更可持续的太阳能电池的渴望导致了地球上丰富且无害的硫族化物吸收剂的开发。 Cu3SbS4（铁锰矿）是一种很有前途的地球丰富的 p 型半导体，具有低直接带隙 (0.9–1.05 eV)，是一种超级吸收剂（吸收系数 ∼ 104–105 cm−1），并且在低成本薄膜太阳能电池中具有潜力。尽管这些特性使 Cu3SbS4 相成为一种有前途的光伏材料，但迄今为止，Cu3SbS4 太阳能电池仅实现了较低的效率。在这项研究中，我们展示了一种合成 Cu3SbS4 纳米晶体并通过将纳米晶体前体涂覆到基材上形成薄膜的方法。在 Cu3SbS4 薄膜热处理之前和之后进行了光学、结构和化学状态表征。对 Cu3SbS4 吸收膜的本体和表面的详细实验分析表明，相稳定性和表面的优先铜氧化可能会限制基于 Cu3SbS4 的太阳能电池的器件性能。这些发现可能为如何通过控制加工条件来提高 Cu3SbS4 太阳能电池的性能提供重要见解。
The most efficient inorganic thin film chalcogenide-based solar cells use CdTe or CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) as absorber layers, which rely on toxic (Cd) and/or scarce elements (In, Te). The desire for more sustainable solar cells has led to the development of Earth abundant and non-hazardous chalcogenide absorbers. Cu3SbS4 (famatinite) is a promising Earth abundant p-type semiconductor that has a low direct band gap (0.9–1.05 eV), is a superabsorber (absorption coefficient ∼ 104–105 cm−1), and has potential in low-cost, thin-film solar cells. Although these properties make the Cu3SbS4 phase stand out as a promising material for photovoltaics, to date Cu3SbS4 solar cells have only achieved low efficiencies. In this study, we demonstrate a method for synthesizing Cu3SbS4 nanocrystals and formation of thin-films by coating nanocrystal precursors onto substrates. Optical, structural, and chemical state characterization were performed before and after thermal processing of the Cu3SbS4 films. A detailed experimental analysis of the bulk and surfaces of the Cu3SbS4 absorber films indicate that phase stability and preferential copper oxidation at the surface may limit device performance for Cu3SbS4 based solar cells. These findings may provide significant insight on how to improve Cu3SbS4 based solar cell performance by controlling processing conditions.