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Chawla P, Ahamed M, Sharma C, Sharma MK, Sharma SN. A comparative study exploring the ligand binding capabilities of quarternary chalcopyrite copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGSe) nanocrystals. J Mol Struct 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.131055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Synthesis and Characterization of π-SnS Nanoparticles and Corresponding Thin Films. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11030767. [PMID: 33803574 PMCID: PMC8002930 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Tin sulfide polymorph (π-SnS) nanoparticles exhibit promising optoelectrical characteristics for photovoltaic and hydrogen production performance, mainly because of the possibility of tuning their properties by adjusting the synthesis conditions. This study demonstrates a chemical approach to synthesize π-SnS nanoparticles and the engineering of their properties by altering the Sn precursor concentration (from 0.04 M to 0.20 M). X-ray diffraction and Raman studies confirmed the presence of pure cubic SnS phase nanoparticles with good crystallinity. SEM images indicated the group of cloudy shaped grains, and XPS results confirmed the presence of Sn and S in the synthesized nanoparticles. Optical studies revealed that the estimated energy bandgap values of the as-synthesized π-SnS nanoparticles varied from 1.52 to 1.68 eV. This work highlights the effects of the Sn precursor concentration on the properties of the π-SnS nanoparticles and describes the bandgap engineering process. Optimized π-SnS nanoparticles were used to deposit nanocrystalline π-SnS thin films using the drop-casting technique, and their physical properties were improved by annealing (300 °C for 2 h).
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Kim JH, Bae S, Min BK. Impact of Absorber Layer Morphology on Photovoltaic Properties in Solution-Processed Chalcopyrite Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:34-47. [PMID: 33356095 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c17496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Solution-processed chalcopyrite solar cells can be economically produced on a large scale; however, for them to be commercially viable, their low efficiency and detrimental processing have to be overcome. To this end, extensive research efforts have been devoted to boost device efficiency and develop benign solution processes. In this review, relevant processes are categorized into molecular-based and particulate-based solution processes, and progress is evaluated in terms of device performance and processing. To identify strategies for improving device performance, the key parameters affecting the optoelectronic properties of the device are discussed. Interestingly, the authors found an unnoticed fact from previously reported experimental results in literature: short-circuit current density increases and deficit of open-circuit voltage decreases as the average domain size of the absorber layer increases. In addition, the power conversion efficiency increases with the grain size irrespective of the band gap, thickness, and processing conditions. Ensuring a large grain size is specifically elucidated to be necessary to increase the photocurrent generation and reduce the charge carrier recombination in the chalcopyrite solar cells. The findings and related reviews afford critical insight into the absorber film design to improve the performance of solution-processed chalcopyrite solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo-Hyun Kim
- National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Soohyun Bae
- National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung Koun Min
- National Agenda Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5, Hwarang-ro 14-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Energy and Environment, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
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Al-doped zinc stannate films for photovoltaic applications. KOREAN J CHEM ENG 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11814-019-0468-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Effect of Thioacetamide Concentration on the Preparation of Single-Phase SnS and SnS2 Thin Films for Optoelectronic Applications. COATINGS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings9100632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Eco-friendly tin sulfide (SnS) thin films were deposited by chemical solution process using varying concentrations of a sulfur precursor (thioacetamide, 0.50–0.75 M). Optimized thioacetamide concentrations of 0.6 and 0.7 M were obtained for the preparation of single-phase SnS and SnS2 films for photovoltaic absorbers and buffers, respectively. The as-deposited SnS and SnS2 thin films were uniform and pinhole-free without any major cracks and satisfactorily adhered to the substrate; they appeared in dark-brown and orange colors, respectively. Thin-film studies (compositional, structural, optical, and electrical) revealed that the as-prepared SnS and SnS2 films were polycrystalline in nature; exhibited orthorhombic and hexagonal crystal structures with (111) and (001) peaks as the preferred orientation; had optimal band gaps of 1.28 and 2.92 eV; and exhibited p- and n-type electrical conductivity, respectively. This study presents a step towards the growth of SnS and SnS2 binary compounds for a clean and economical power source.
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Optimization of Intrinsic ZnO Thickness in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2-Based Thin Film Solar Cells. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12091365. [PMID: 31035494 PMCID: PMC6539136 DOI: 10.3390/ma12091365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The typical structure of high efficiency Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS)-based thin film solar cells is substrate/Mo/CIGS/CdS/i-ZnO/ZnO:Al(AZO) where the sun light comes through the transparent conducting oxide (i.e., i-ZnO/AZO) side. In this study, the thickness of an intrinsic zinc oxide (i-ZnO) layer was optimized by considering the surface roughness of CIGS light absorbers. The i-ZnO layers with different thicknesses from 30 to 170 nm were deposited via sputtering. The optical properties, microstructures, and morphologies of the i-ZnO thin films with different thicknesses were characterized, and their effects on the CIGS solar cell device properties were explored. Two types of CIGS absorbers prepared by three-stage co-evaporation and two-step sulfurization after the selenization (SAS) processes showed a difference in the preferred crystal orientation, morphology, and surface roughness. During the subsequent post-processing for the fabrication of the glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS/i-ZnO/AZO device, the change in the i-ZnO thickness influenced the performance of the CIGS devices. For the three-stage co-evaporated CIGS cell, the increase in the thickness of the i-ZnO layer from 30 to 90 nm improved the shunt resistance (RSH), open circuit voltage, and fill factor (FF), as well as the conversion efficiency (10.1% to 11.8%). A further increas of the i-ZnO thickness to 170 nm, deteriorated the device performance parameters, which suggests that 90 nm is close to the optimum thickness of i-ZnO. Conversely, the device with a two-step SAS processed CIGS absorber showed smaller values of the overall RSH (130-371 Ω cm2) than that of the device with a three-stage co-evaporated CIGS absorber (530-1127 Ω cm2) ranging from 30 nm to 170 nm of i-ZnO thickness. Therefore, the value of the shunt resistance was monotonically increased with the i-ZnO thickness ranging from 30 to 170 nm, which improved the FF and conversion efficiency (6.96% to 8.87%).
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Pejjai B, Minnam Reddy VR, Gedi S, Park C. Review on earth-abundant and environmentally benign Cu–Sn–X(X = S, Se) nanoparticles by chemical synthesis for sustainable solar energy conversion. J IND ENG CHEM 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2017.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Lee H, Jeong DS, Mun T, Pejjai B, Reddy VRM, Anderson TJ, Park C. Formation and characterization of CuInSe2 thin films from binary CuSe and In2Se3 nanocrystal-ink spray. KOREAN J CHEM ENG 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11814-016-0097-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Rehan S, Kim KY, Han J, Eo YJ, Gwak J, Ahn SK, Yun JH, Yoon K, Cho A, Ahn S. Carbon-Impurity Affected Depth Elemental Distribution in Solution-Processed Inorganic Thin Films for Solar Cell Application. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:5261-5272. [PMID: 26817680 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b10789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A common feature of the inorganic thin films including Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 fabricated by nonvacuum solution-based approaches is the doubled-layered structure, with a top dense inorganic film and a bottom carbon-containing residual layer. Although the latter has been considered to be the main efficiency limiting factor, (as a source of high series resistance), the exact influence of this layer is still not clear, and contradictory views are present. In this study, using a CISe as a model system, we report experimental evidence indicating that the carbon residual layer itself is electrically benign to the device performance. Conversely, carbon was found to play a significant role in determining the depth elemental distribution of final film, in which carbon selectively hinders the diffusion of Cu during selenization, resulting in significantly Cu-deficient top CISe layer while improving the film morphology. This carbon-affected compositional and morphological impact on the top CISe films is a determining factor for the device efficiency, which was supported by the finding that CISe solar cells processed from the precursor film containing intermediate amount of carbon demonstrated high efficiencies of up to 9.15% whereas the performances of the devices prepared from the precursor films with very high and very low carbon were notably poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanza Rehan
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
- Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Daejeon 305-350, Korea
| | - Ka Young Kim
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
| | - Jeonghyeob Han
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
- Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Daejeon 305-350, Korea
| | - Young-Joo Eo
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
| | - Jihye Gwak
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
| | - Seung Kyu Ahn
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
| | - Jae Ho Yun
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
- Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Daejeon 305-350, Korea
| | - KyungHoon Yoon
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
| | - Ara Cho
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
- Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Daejeon 305-350, Korea
| | - SeJin Ahn
- Photovoltaic Laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research , Daejeon 305-343, Korea
- Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST) , Daejeon 305-350, Korea
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E. Zaghi A, Buffière M, Brammertz G, Batuk M, Lenaers N, Kniknie B, Hadermann J, Meuris M, Poortmans J, Vleugels J. Mechanical synthesis of high purity Cu–In–Se alloy nanopowder as precursor for printed CISe thin film solar cells. ADV POWDER TECHNOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apt.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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