Solution-thermal processing of nanostructured kesterite absorber materials for sustainable solar cell manufacturing

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Over the last 5-10 years there has been an unprecedented growth in terms of photovoltaic (PV) research, technology development and commercial solar energy conversion installations. This is driven by the realization that only the harvesting of renewable energy sources can provide sustainable solutions to our global climate change and human economic development challenges. This type of growth however is not sustainable unless PV-generated electricity becomes cost-competitive with conventional power generation. But in addition to being cost-competitive, photovoltaic technology, in order to become widely adopted must rely on earth-abundant non-toxic materials and easily scalable as well as green processes for the fabrication of solar cell modules. Among the various emerging PV technologies, one that can prove truly transformational in meeting the key requirements of low cost and ease of manufacture, high efficiency, stability, and abundance of construction materials, is thin-film solar cells based on solution-processed and sintered inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals. It is indeed our goal in this research in collaboration with several industrial partners to develop such novel nanocrystal thin-film structures by exploiting among other things the highly promising and largely unexplored kesterite semiconductor material family that not only is made of abundant elements (Cu-Zn-Sn-S-Se) but has near-ideal light harvesting capacity. Controlled solution synthesis, deposition, sintering and integration of nanoscale kesterite crystals or layers in thin-film cells with high power conversion efficiencies is in the core of our efforts. The proposed research responds to Canada's strategic need of developing advanced manufacturing capability for solar photovoltaic materials and components to meet the ever-growing renewable energy market ensuring our economic prosperity and sustainability.