Platelet CuSbS2 particles with a suitable conduction band position for solar cell applications

Abstract

CuSbS 2 particles with a suitable conduction band position for solar cell applications, Materials

Optoelectronic Effects of Chemical and Thermal Treatments on CuSbS2Nanocrystal Thin Films

“…However, rising concerns over the demand and scarcity of In has driven researchers to explore alternative ternary copper chalcogenides for photovoltaic applications . An analogue to CIGS is CuSbS 2 , where Sb replaces trivalent In and Ga. CuSbS 2 has great potential for optoelectronic applications given its suitable band gap (∼1.5 eV), high absorption coefficient, and inherent p-type conductivity. − Key characteristics supporting its potential as an alternative solar absorber include the following: (1) the scarcity and world demand for Sb is significantly lower than In, (2) theoretical studies suggest that CuSbS 2 is free of deep trap recombination centers that plague Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 , another attractive, earth-abundant solar absorber material, and (3) CuSbS 2 has a melting point of 551 °C, enabling low-temperature crystallization, which is ideal for low-temperature, large-scale manufacturing. , …”

Effect of sulfonating agent and ligand chemistry on structural and optical properties of CuSbS2particles prepared by heat-up method

“…An et al 27 prepared CuSbS2 nanorods by a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method. Takei et al 22 showed that CuSbS2 particles could be synthesized by a mechanochemical process, while Ikeda et al 28 , Ramasamy et al 23 , Moosakhani et al 32,33 and Yan et al 29 synthesized CuSbS2 particles by a hot-injection route. Nevertheless, the particles obtained by hydrothermal and solvothermal routes are not of as high quality as those made by a hot injection method and there is a need for more detailed studies to discover all aspects of the crystal growth and reaction mechanism for preparing CuSbS2.…”

Formation of Near-IR Excitons in Low-Dimensional CuSbS2

“…Recently, single-crystal CuSbS 2 platelets of varying thickness have been experimentally prepared using the hot injection method. , This bottom-up approach enables the synthesis of nanomaterials with well-defined size and homogeneous shape down to monolayer thickness . Interestingly, in CuSbS 2 , quantum confinement effects accompanying the nanostructuring process do not lead to a sizable increase of the optical gap, as typically observed in low-dimensional semiconductors and insulators in comparison with their bulk counterparts. − For example, in transition metal dichalcogenides, spatial confinement increases absorption and photoluminescence − or even induces superconductivity .…”