Improving the performance of Sb2S3 thin-film solar cells by optimization of VTD source-substrate proximity

Wang, Rui; Wang, Youyang; Pan, Yi-Hsuan; Qin, Deyang; Weng, Guoen; Tao, Jiahua; Luo, Xianjia; Chen, Shaoqiang; Zhu, Z. Q.; Chu, Junhao; Akiyama, Hidefumi

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2021.03.052

Cited by 23 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Therefore, interface recombination dominates in these solar cells, apparently increasing when the absorber is grown at a higher temperature, meaning that the absorber interfaces deteriorate. Curiously, temperature-dependent V OC of fully inorganic Sb 2 S 3 solar cells has only ever been reported down to 210 and 140 K, with a built-in voltage of 1.08 or 0.97 V. , However, whenever tunneling is present the ideality factor becomes temperature dependent, turning V OC vs T nonlinear . Therefore, the activation energy calculated by extrapolating V OC might be inaccurate and should be supplemented with Φ B calculated from n and J 0 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Eensalu,

Mandati,

Don

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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The rapidly expanding demand for photovoltaics (PVs) requires stable, quick, and easy to manufacture solar cells based on socioeconomically and ecologically viable earth-abundant resources. Sb 2 S 3 has been a potential candidate for solar PVs and the efficiency of planar Sb 2 S 3 thin-film solar cells has witnessed a reasonable rise from 5.77% in 2014 to 8% in 2022. Herein, the aim is to bring new insight into Sb 2 S 3 solar cell research by investigating how the bulk and surface properties of the Sb 2 S 3 absorber and the current–voltage and deep-level defect characteristics of solar cells based on these films are affected by the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition temperature and the molar ratio of thiourea to SbEX in solution. The properties of the Sb 2 S 3 absorber are characterized by bulk- and surface-sensitive methods. Solar cells are characterized by temperature-dependent current–voltage, external quantum efficiency, and deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements. In this paper, the first thin-film solar cells based on a planar Sb 2 S 3 absorber grown from antimony ethyl xanthate (SbEX) by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis in air are demonstrated. Devices based on the Sb 2 S 3 absorber grown at 200 °C, especially from a solution of thiourea and SbEX in a molar ratio of 4.5, perform the best by virtue of suppressed surface oxidation of Sb 2 S 3 , favorable band alignment, Sb-vacancy concentration, a continuous film morphology, and a suitable film thickness of 75 nm, achieving up to 4.1% power conversion efficiency, which is the best efficiency to date for planar Sb 2 S 3 solar cells grown from xanthate-based precursors. Our findings highlight the importance of developing synthesis conditions to achieve the best solar cell device performance for an Sb 2 S 3 absorber layer pertaining to the chosen deposition method, experimental setup, and precursors.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Eensalu,

Mandati,

Don

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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“…The dark currents of them were 2 × 10 −4 and 9 × 10 −4 mA cm −2 , respectively, low levels among Sb 2 S 3 solar cell. [ 26 ] After RIE treatment, the dark current of devices became much smaller, further indicating the reduced leakage current and carrier recombination by RIE treatment. The small dark current also favored V oc improvement.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactive Ion Etching Activating TiO₂ Substrate for Planar Heterojunction Sb₂S₃ Solar Cells with 6.06% Efficiency

You

Chen

et al. 2022

Energy Tech

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Antimony sulfide is a promising photovoltaic material for the top subcell of Si‐based tandem solar cells due to its suitable bandgap, high absorption coefficient, low cost, and environmentally friendly properties. However, the electron transport layer (ETL) of antimony sulfide solar cells is generally based on CdS, while narrow‐bandgap CdS (Eg = 2.4 eV) absorbs part of the short‐wavelength light causing spectral loss. Unfortunately, Sb2S3 films could not be deposited uniformly on TiO2 substrate by the hydrothermal method. For the first time, reactive ion etching (RIE) treatment to TiO2 surface is developed to activate it for later Sb2S3 deposition. Based on this strategy, the obtained Sb2S3 film is almost the same as that deposited on CdS, smooth, dense, and uniform. The optimal device efficiency can reach 6.06%, a top value among TiO2/Sb2S3 devices with a new record of short‐circuit current density (≈19.4 mA cm−2). The high efficiency on RIE‐treated TiO2 ETL is attributed to the high transparency of TiO2 and the high‐quality Sb2S3 thin film with suppressed recombination in the Sb2S3 bulk film and TiO2/Sb2S3 interface. This work proposes a simple and efficient strategy for deposition of high‐quality Sb2S3 thin films on inert substrates.

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“…One of them is the four-contact point configuration that can correct the insufficiencies of its two point configuration counterpart. In the four-contact point configuration, two points inject current while the other two points measure potential difference using the LCR meter [16]. By knowing both the injected currents and voltages at specific film thickness, resistivity or impedance can be computed using the Van der Pauw technique [3].…”

Section: Thin Film Resistivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A rise in temperature caused an increase in thermal vibrations [29] of atomic particles generating lattice irregularities that ended up acting as electron scattering centres [30] increasing resistivity and grain boundaries and hence becoming effective electron scattering sites. As the number of grain boundaries increases [16], resistivity also increases implying an increase in effective electron scattering sites. Bulk defects or grain boundaries provide barriers for charge dislocations [31] and transmission through thin films but they do not interfere with electrons trespassing within the film.…”

Section: Fig 3 Influence Of Frequency Of 2 MM Tip-spacing On Resistivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Bulk Defect Density on the Efficiency of CIGS Based Photovoltaic Cell/Solar Cell

Orori

2023

JOBARI

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In CIGS-based thin-films, bulk defects are believed to represent disturbances either in a regular, periodical arrangement within the atoms or within the crystalline media which influence sheet resistivity. In this study, first a resistivity measurements were carried out on CIGS thin films using the Van Der Pauw technique. Then, a comparison between two Van Der Pauw four-point measurement configurations (aligned and square) were done which showed that the square configuration was the most appropriate configuration that can be recommended to measure thin film sheet resistance of CIGS films. Finally, a numerical simulation using SCAPS-1D software was used to study the influence of bulk defect density in a CIGS films as an absorber layer in a model photocell. Using the simulated data, three operating zones for the model photocell were identified depending based on the concentration of its bulk defect density. The influence of bulk defects on thickness, band gap and doping were then analyzed. It was revealed that when the bulk defect density was less than 5×1013 cm-3 for an absorber of thickness in the order of over 3 μm, a band gap between 1.3 eV-1.4 eV and acceptor density of 1016 cm-3were the optimal operating conditions for the model photocell. It was concluded that the CICS layer used as an absorber can be improved if its bulk defect density is tuned to optimal levels.

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Improving the performance of Sb2S3 thin-film solar cells by optimization of VTD source-substrate proximity

Cited by 23 publications

References 30 publications

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Reactive Ion Etching Activating TiO₂ Substrate for Planar Heterojunction Sb₂S₃ Solar Cells with 6.06% Efficiency

Influence of Bulk Defect Density on the Efficiency of CIGS Based Photovoltaic Cell/Solar Cell

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Improving the performance of Sb2S3 thin-film solar cells by optimization of VTD source-substrate proximity

Cited by 23 publications

References 30 publications

Sb2S3 Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Sb2S3 Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Reactive Ion Etching Activating TiO2 Substrate for Planar Heterojunction Sb2S3 Solar Cells with 6.06% Efficiency

Influence of Bulk Defect Density on the Efficiency of CIGS Based Photovoltaic Cell/Solar Cell

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Product

Resources

About

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Sb₂S₃ Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air

Reactive Ion Etching Activating TiO₂ Substrate for Planar Heterojunction Sb₂S₃ Solar Cells with 6.06% Efficiency