Alcohol Vapor Post‐Annealing for Highly Efficient Sb₂S₃ Planar Heterojunction Solar Cells

Abstract

Solution‐processed Sb2S3 planar heterojunction solar cells have shown great progress in power conversion efficiency (PCE) in recent years. However, a conventional solution process yields Sb2S3 films with a small grain size. Herein, an alcohol vapor post‐annealing strategy is reported that uses alcohol vapors to facilitate grain growth of Sb2S3 films during annealing, achieving films with a larger grain size and better crystallinity. A series of alcohols with different polarities are used for the vapor post‐annealing. Methanol with the highest polarity provides films with the largest grain size. As a result, the Sb2S3 films prepared via vapor post‐annealing show enhanced light absorption, longer carrier lifetime, and less carrier recombination, which are verified by photoluminescence, transient photovoltage, suns‐short‐circuit photocurrent density, and suns‐open‐circuit voltage measurements. The Sb2S3 solar cells post‐annealed with methanol vapor exhibit a PCE of 5.27%, showing a drastic improvement of 31% compared with the non‐treated devices. The alcohol vapor post‐annealing approach presents a new avenue toward controlling the morphology and crystallinity of solution‐processed Sb2S3 films and achieving efficient Sb2S3 solar cells.

Solution‐Processed Compact Sb2S3 Thin Films by a Facile One‐Step Deposition Method for Efficient Solar Cells

“…Noticeably, it has been well demonstrated that the Sb 2 S 3 crystallization for efficient solar cells normally takes place at 300−330 °C. [ 2,16–21 ] This article mainly focuses on the R effect on the Sb 2 S 3 film formation and the solar cell performance, and we fix the annealing temperature at 320 °C for the Sb 2 S 3 film crystallization.…”

“…The thickness of Sb 2 S 3 film (L) is linearly controlled by the concentration (C) and independent of the molar ratio R in the precursor solution (refer to Figure 4d). Noticeably, it has been well demonstrated that the Sb 2 S 3 crystallization for efficient solar cells normally takes place at 300À330 C. [2,[16][17][18][19][20][21] This article mainly focuses on the R effect on the Sb 2 S 3 film formation and the solar cell performance, and we fix the annealing temperature at 320 C for the Sb 2 S 3 film crystallization.…”

Multifunctional Molecule‐Modified SnO2–Perovskite Interface for Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

“…We test the conductivity of the pristine and modified SnO 2 films with an indium tin oxide (ITO)/ETL/Ag device (Figure 2a). The current conductivity (σ 0 ) could be calculated by the Equation (1) [42] 0…”

Defect‐Resolved Effective Majority Carrier Mobility in Highly Anisotropic Antimony Chalcogenide Thin‐Film Solar Cells

“…This could also partly explain why Sb 2 Se 3 usually exhibits much weaker photoluminescence (PL) signal compared with Sb 2 S 3 and kesterites. [ 19–22 ] Note that the limited QFLS attributed to the deep bulk defects and associated low carrier density could be one of the important reasons for the large open‐circuit voltage ( V OC ) deficit of Sb 2 Se 3 solar cells.…”