Tailoring interfaces in Earth abundant thin film solar cells

铜锌锡(S，Se)4(CZTSSe)是一种具有优异光电性能和富含稀土元素的光伏材料。在用于制备吸收体层的各种技术中，基于溶液的沉积和处理具有提供低成本、可扩展的路线来生产高效率的光伏器件的潜力。结果表明，基于联氨溶液的CZTSSe太阳电池的电流记录效率为12.6%。另一方面，纳米油墨提供了一种替代方案，以避免使用剧毒和潜在的爆炸性溶剂联氨。由Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS)纳米颗粒墨水沉积的CZTS前驱体薄膜，在Se存在下进行热处理，可以提供效率高达9.5%的器件。Norhumbria最近开发了一种制备和控制纳米粒子墨水的电子和结构性质的方法。热处理后形成致密致密的薄膜，可用于制造太阳能电池，在刚性衬底上的效率接近7%，如果我们使用柔性箔，效率略低。我们现在的注意力集中在太阳能电池结构内部的界面上，特别是pn结。这个项目的主要目标是开发使用铟/镉/硫化锌和锌/钛氧化物的单层/多层n型缓冲层，以提高刚性和柔性结构的器件性能。在研究期间，您将控制整个制造过程(纳米颗粒油墨、薄膜和太阳能电池)，并将获得广泛的表征技术和最近翻新的实验室。您还将与我们的合作伙伴之一TescanUK密切合作，在进行原位显微应力测试(例如，柔性薄膜的弯曲、pn结的热处理)的同时，观察层的纳米/微结构和化学成分。该项目适合对半导体和器件制造以及光谱学和显微技术有浓厚兴趣的应聘者。

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) is a promising photovoltaic material with outstanding optoelectronicproperties and Earth abundant constituents. Among the variety of techniques employed for thepreparation of the absorber layer, solution-based deposition and processing has the potential toprovide low-cost scalable routes to produce photovoltaic devices with high efficiency. Suchresults include the current record efficiency for CZTSSe solar cells at 12.6 % using hydrazinesolutionbased method. On the other hand, nanoparticle inks offer an alternative to avoid usingthe highly toxic and potentially explosive solvent, hydrazine. Deposited from the Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) nanoparticle inks, the CZTS precursor thin films annealed in the presence of Se canprovide devices with efficiency up to 9.5%.Northumbria has recently developed a route for fabricating and controlling the electronic andstructural properties of nanoparticle inks. Upon heat treatment a dense and compact film isformed that can be used to fabricate solar cells with efficiencies approaching 7% on rigidsubstrate or a bit less if we use flexible foils. Our attention now focuses on the interfaces withinthe solar cell structure and particularly the pn junction.The key aim of this project is to develop single/multilayer n-type buffer layers usingindium/cadmium/zinc sulphide and zinc/titanium oxide to increase device performance for bothrigid and flexible structures. During the study you will be in control of the complete fabricationprocesses (nanoparticle inks, thin film and solar cells) and will have access to a wide range ofcharacterisation techniques and recently refurbished laboratories. You will also work closely withone of our partners, TescanUK, to observe the layers nano/microstructure and chemicalcomposition while performing in-situ microscopy-stress tests (for example bending of flexiblefilms, heat treatment of the pn junction). This project is suitable for a candidate with stronginterest in semiconductor and device fabrication as well as spectroscopy and microscopy.