1
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Daniel J, Weaver SI, Matthias BR, Golden R, George GM, Kerpal C, Donley CL, Jarocha LE, Anderson ME. Investigating Cu-Site Doped Cu-Sb-S Nanoparticles Using Photoelectron and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2024; 128:13888-13899. [PMID: 39193255 PMCID: PMC11345821 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.4c02602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) and famatinite (Cu3SbS4) are good candidates for green energy applications because they possess promising thermoelectric and photovoltaic properties as well as contain earth-abundant and nontoxic constituents. Herein, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) methods examined inherent electronic properties and interatomic magnetic interactions of Cu-site doped tetrahedrite and famatinite nanomaterials. An energy-efficient modified polyol method was utilized for the synthesis of tetrahedrite and famatinite nanoparticles doped on the Cu-site with Zn, Fe, Ni, Mn, and Co. This is the first parallel study of tetrahedrite and famatinite nanomaterials with XPS, UPS, and EPR methods alongside a systematic analysis of dopant-dependent effects on the electronic structure and magnetic interactions for each material. XPS showed that the Cu and Sb species in tetrahedrite and famatinite possess different oxidation states, while UPS characterization reveals larger dopant-dependent shifts in the work function for tetrahedrite nanoparticles (4.21 to 4.79 eV) than for famatinite nanoparticles (4.57 to 4.77 eV). Finally, all famatinite nanoparticles display an EPR signal, indicating trace amounts of paramagnetic Cu(II) present below the detection limit of XPS. For tetrahedrite, EPR signatures were observed only for the Zn-doped and Mn-doped nanoparticles, suggesting signal broadening from Cu-Cu spin exchange or spin-lattice relaxation. This study demonstrates the complementary nature of XPS and EPR techniques for studying the oxidation states of metals in solid-state nanomaterials. Comparing the electronic and magnetic properties of tetrahedrite and famatinite while studying the impact of dopant incorporation will guide future endeavors in designing sustainable, high-performance materials for renewable energy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob
E. Daniel
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - S. Ivan Weaver
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - Brad R. Matthias
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - River Golden
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - Gavin M. George
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - Christian Kerpal
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, UNC Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina 28804, United States
| | - Carrie L. Donley
- Chapel
Hill Analytical and Nanofabrication Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Lauren E. Jarocha
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - Mary E. Anderson
- Department
of Chemistry, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
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2
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Lal S, Rathore S, Patel K, Ray J, Sharma SS. Study of defect density of copper vacancies in chalcogenide CuSbS 2, CuSbSe 2, CuBiS 2, and CuBiSe 2 heterojunction thin-film solar cells. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34333-3. [PMID: 39037627 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34333-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
In the past decade, a new family of ternary chalcogenide absorber (TCA) materials MIMIIX2 (where MI = Cu, Ag, Pb; MII = Sb, Bi, In; and X = S, Se, Te) have been studied. The copper family of ternary chalcogenide CuSbS2 CuSbSe2 CuBiS2, and CuBiSe2 is an amazing absorber material for thin-film solar cells because of their suitable band gap, high absorption coefficient and inexpensive, nontoxic, environment friendly and sustainable nature. In the presented work, first time simulated defect density of copper vacancies in CuSbS2 (CAS), CuSbSe2 (CASe), CuBiS2 (CBS) and CuBiSe2 (CBSe) has based heterojunction thin-film solar cells (HJTFSCs) with buffer CdS, intrinsic i-ZnO, window ZnO: Al and back contact Mo and set the cell scheming ZnO: Al/i-ZnO/n-CdS/p-TCA/Mo using SCAPS 1D. Major focus of this paper is on the influence of copper vacancies defect density that impact on the performance of ternary chalcogenide with various parameters of solar cells, i.e. short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), form factor (FF) and efficiency (η). The cell parameter set at constant temperature 300 K, thickness 2.5 μm, carrier density 5 × 1016 cm-3, front internal transmission coefficient 1 and illumination intensity 100 mW/cm2 with AM1.5 sun light. This study clarifies the potential benefits to utilizing of ternary chalcogenide compounds as absorber material for solar cell fabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shankar Lal
- Department of Physics, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, 303012, India
- Department of Physics, MJD Government College Taranagar, Taranagar, 331304, India
| | - Sushila Rathore
- Department of Physics, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, 303012, India
| | - Kinjal Patel
- Department of Physics, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli, 394350, India
| | - Jaymin Ray
- Department of Physics, Uka Tarsadia University, Bardoli, 394350, India
| | - Shyam Sunder Sharma
- Department of Physics, Government Mahila Engineering College, Ajmer, 305002, India.
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3
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Maji K, Raveau B, Lemoine P, Boullay P, Acharyya P, Shen X, Renaud A, Pelletier V, Gautier R, Carnevali V, Fornari M, Zhang B, Zhou X, Lenoir B, Candolfi C, Guilmeau E. Three-Fold Coordination of Copper in Sulfides: A Blockade for Hole Carrier Delocalization but a Driving Force for Ultralow Thermal Conductivity. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:9741-9754. [PMID: 38551288 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Copper-rich sulfides are very promising for energy conversion applications due to their environmental compatibility, cost effectiveness, and earth abundance. Based on a comparative analysis of the structural and transport properties of Cu3BiS3 with those of tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) and other Cu-rich sulfides, we highlight the role of the cationic coordination types and networks on the electrical and thermal properties. By precession-assisted 3D electron diffraction analysis, we find very high anisotropic thermal vibration of copper attributed to its 3-fold coordination, with an anisotropic atomic displacement parameter up to 0.09 Å2. Density functional theory calculations reveal that these Cu atoms are weakly bonded and give rise to low-energy Einstein-like vibrational modes that strongly scatter heat-carrying acoustic phonons, leading to ultralow thermal conductivity. Importantly, we demonstrate that the 3-fold coordination of copper in Cu3BiS3 and in other copper-rich sulfides constituted of interconnected CuS3 networks causes a hole blockade. This phenomenon hinders the possibility of optimizing the carrier concentration and electronic properties through mixed valency Cu+/Cu2+, differently from tetrahedrite and most other copper-rich chalcogenides, where the main interconnected Cu-S network is built of CuS4 tetrahedra. The comparison with various copper-rich sulfides demonstrates that seeking for frameworks characterized by the coexistence of tetrahedral and 3-fold coordinated copper is very attractive for the discovery of efficient thermoelectric copper-rich sulfides. Considering that lattice vibrations and carrier concentration are key factors for engineering transport phenomena (electronic, phonon, ionic, etc.) in copper-rich chalcogenides for various types of applications, our findings improve the guidelines for the design of materials enabling sustainable energy solutions with wide-ranging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishnendu Maji
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Bernard Raveau
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Pierric Lemoine
- Institut Jean Lamour, UMR 7198 CNRS - Université de Lorraine, 54011 Nancy, France
| | - Philippe Boullay
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Paribesh Acharyya
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Xingchen Shen
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
| | - Adèle Renaud
- Université Rennes, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR-UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Vincent Pelletier
- Université Rennes, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR-UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Régis Gautier
- Université Rennes, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR-UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Virginia Carnevali
- Department of Physics and Science of Advanced Materials Program, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48859, United States
| | - Marco Fornari
- Department of Physics and Science of Advanced Materials Program, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 48859, United States
| | - Bin Zhang
- College of Physics and Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Analytical and Testing Center of Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Zhou
- College of Physics and Institute of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Analytical and Testing Center of Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Bertrand Lenoir
- Institut Jean Lamour, UMR 7198 CNRS - Université de Lorraine, 54011 Nancy, France
| | - Christophe Candolfi
- Institut Jean Lamour, UMR 7198 CNRS - Université de Lorraine, 54011 Nancy, France
| | - Emmanuel Guilmeau
- CRISMAT, CNRS, Normandie Univ, ENSICAEN, UNICAEN, 14000 Caen, France
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4
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Daniel J, Jesby CM, Plass KE, Anderson ME. Multinary Tetrahedrite (Cu 12-x-yM xN ySb 4S 13) Nanoparticles: Tailoring Thermal and Optical Properties with Copper-Site Dopants. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS : A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2024; 36:3246-3258. [PMID: 38617807 PMCID: PMC11007862 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c03110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) is an earth-abundant and nontoxic compound with prospective applications in green energy technologies such as thermoelectric waste heat recycling or photovoltaic power generation. A facile, one-pot solution-phase modified polyol method has been developed that produces high-purity nanoscale tetrahedrite products with exceptional stoichiometric and phase control. This modified polyol method is used here to produce phase-pure quaternary and quintenary tetrahedrite nanoparticles doped on the Cu-site with Zn, Fe, Ni, Mn, or Co. This is the first time that Cu-site codoped quintenary tetrahedrite and Mn-doped quaternary tetrahedrite have been produced by a solution-phase method. X-ray diffraction shows phase-pure tetrahedrite, while scanning and transmission electron microscopy show the size and morphology of the nanomaterials. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms nanoparticles have near-stoichiometric elemental compositions. Thermal stability of quintenary codoped tetrahedrite material is analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis, finding that codoping with Mn, Fe, Ni, and Zn increased thermal stability while codoping with cobalt decreased thermal stability. This is the first systematic study of the optical properties of quaternary and quintenary tetrahedrite nanoparticles doped on the Cu-site. Visible-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy reveals that the quaternary and quintenary tetrahedrite nanoparticles have direct optical band gaps ranging from 1.88 to 2.04 eV. Data from thermal and optical characterization support that codoped tetrahedrite nanoparticles are composed of quintenary grains. This research seeks to enhance understanding of the material properties of tetrahedrite, leading to the optimization of sustainable, nontoxic, and high-performance photovoltaic and thermoelectric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob
E. Daniel
- Chemistry
Department, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
| | - Christian M. Jesby
- Chemistry
Department, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604, United States
| | - Katherine E. Plass
- Chemistry
Department, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604, United States
| | - Mary E. Anderson
- Chemistry
Department, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina 29613, United States
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5
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Michos FI, Chronis AG, Sigalas MM. Optical Properties of Sc nY n (Y = N, P As) Nanoparticles. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2589. [PMID: 37764618 PMCID: PMC10535310 DOI: 10.3390/nano13182589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
In this work, using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent DFT, the absorption spectrum, the optical gap, and the binding energy of scandium pnictogen family nanoparticles (NPs) are examined. The calculated structures are created from an initial cubic-like building block of the form Sc4Y4, where Y = N, P, As after elongation along one and two perpendicular directions. The existence of stable structures over a wide range of morphologies was one of the main findings of this research, and this led to the study of several exotic NPs. The absorption spectrum of all the studied structures is within the visible spectrum, while the optical gap varies between 1.62 and 3 eV. These NPs could be used in the field in photovoltaics (quantum dot sensitized solar cells) and display applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotios I. Michos
- Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, GR-26504 Patras, Greece; (A.G.C.); (M.M.S.)
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6
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Rath T, Marin-Beloqui JM, Bai X, Knall AC, Sigl M, Warchomicka FG, Griesser T, Amenitsch H, Haque SA. Solution-Processable Cu 3BiS 3 Thin Films: Growth Process Insights and Increased Charge Generation Properties by Interface Modification. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:41624-41633. [PMID: 37623297 PMCID: PMC10485802 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Cu3BiS3 thin films are fabricated via spin coating of precursor solutions containing copper and bismuth xanthates onto planar glass substrates or mesoporous metal oxide scaffolds followed by annealing at 300 °C to convert the metal xanthates into copper bismuth sulfide. Detailed insights into the film formation are gained from time-resolved simultaneous small and wide angle X-ray scattering measurements. The Cu3BiS3 films show a high absorption coefficient and a band gap of 1.55 eV, which makes them attractive for application in photovoltaic devices. Transient absorption spectroscopic measurements reveal that charge generation yields in mesoporous TiO2/Cu3BiS3 heterojunctions can be significantly improved by the introduction of an In2S3 interlayer, and long-lived charge carriers (t50% of 10 μs) are found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Rath
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
- Institute
for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, NAWI Graz, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Jose M. Marin-Beloqui
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Xinyu Bai
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Astrid-Caroline Knall
- Institute
for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, NAWI Graz, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Marco Sigl
- Institute
for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, NAWI Graz, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Fernando G. Warchomicka
- Institute
of Materials Science, Joining and Forming, Graz University of Technology, Kopernikusgasse 24, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Thomas Griesser
- Institute
of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials, Montanuniveristät
Leoben, Otto Glöckelstrasse
2, 8700 Leoben, Austria
| | - Heinz Amenitsch
- Institute
of Inorganic Chemistry, NAWI Graz, Graz
University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Saif A. Haque
- Department
of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular
Sciences Research Hub White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
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7
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Moser A, Yarema O, Garcia G, Luisier M, Longo F, Billeter E, Borgschulte A, Yarema M, Wood V. Synthesis and Electronic Structure of Mid-Infrared Absorbing Cu 3SbSe 4 and Cu xSbSe 4 Nanocrystals. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS : A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2023; 35:6323-6331. [PMID: 37637010 PMCID: PMC10448677 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c00911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Aliovalent I-V-VI semiconductor nanocrystals are promising candidates for thermoelectric and optoelectronic applications. Famatinite Cu3SbSe4 stands out due to its high absorption coefficient and narrow band gap in the mid-infrared spectral range. This paper combines experiment and theory to investigate the synthesis and electronic structure of colloidal CuxSbSe4 nanocrystals. We achieve predictive composition control of size-uniform CuxSbSe4 (x = 1.9-3.4) nanocrystals. Density functional theory (DFT)-parametrized tight-binding simulations on nanocrystals show that the more the Cu-vacancies, the wider the band gap of CuxSbSe4 nanocrystals, a trend which we also confirm experimentally via FTIR spectroscopy. We show that SbCu antisite defects can create mid-gap states, which may give rise to sub-bandgap absorption. This work provides a detailed study of CuxSbSe4 nanocrystals and highlights the potential opportunities as well as challenges for their application in infrared devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Moser
- Institute
for Electronics, Department of Information Technology and Electrical
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olesya Yarema
- Institute
for Electronics, Department of Information Technology and Electrical
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gregorio Garcia
- Departamento
de Tecnología Fotónica y Bioingeniería &
Instituto de Energía Solar, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-20840 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mathieu Luisier
- Institute
for Integrated Systems, Department of Information Technology and Electrical
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Longo
- Laboratory
for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Emanuel Billeter
- Department
of Physics, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Fysikvej, Building 312, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andreas Borgschulte
- Laboratory
for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Maksym Yarema
- Institute
for Electronics, Department of Information Technology and Electrical
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vanessa Wood
- Institute
for Electronics, Department of Information Technology and Electrical
Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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8
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Bu K, Hu Q, Qi X, Wang D, Guo S, Luo H, Lin T, Guo X, Zeng Q, Ding Y, Huang F, Yang W, Mao HK, Lü X. Nested order-disorder framework containing a crystalline matrix with self-filled amorphous-like innards. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4650. [PMID: 35945215 PMCID: PMC9363411 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32419-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Solids can be generally categorized by their structures into crystalline and amorphous states with different interactions among atoms dictating their properties. Crystalline-amorphous hybrid structures, combining the advantages of both ordered and disordered components, present a promising opportunity to design materials with emergent collective properties. Hybridization of crystalline and amorphous structures at the sublattice level with long-range periodicity has been rarely observed. Here, we report a nested order-disorder framework (NOF) constructed by a crystalline matrix with self-filled amorphous-like innards that is obtained by using pressure to regulate the bonding hierarchy of Cu12Sb4S13. Combined in situ experimental and computational methods demonstrate the formation of disordered Cu sublattice which is embedded in the retained crystalline Cu framework. Such a NOF structure gives a low thermal conductivity (~0.24 W·m-1·K-1) and a metallic electrical conductivity (8 × 10-6 Ω·m), realizing the collaborative improvement of two competing physical properties. These findings demonstrate a category of solid-state materials to link the crystalline and amorphous forms in the sublattice-scale, which will exhibit extraordinary properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejun Bu
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qingyang Hu
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiaohuan Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Songhao Guo
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Hui Luo
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Tianquan Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Xiaofeng Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Alexandra Navrotsky Institute for Experimental Thermodynamics, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
| | - Qiaoshi Zeng
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yang Ding
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fuqiang Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Wenge Yang
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Ho-Kwang Mao
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xujie Lü
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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9
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Esperto L, Figueira I, Mascarenhas J, Silva TP, Correia JB, Neves F. Structural and Optical Characterization of Mechanochemically Synthesized CuSbS 2 Compounds. MATERIALS 2022; 15:ma15113842. [PMID: 35683139 PMCID: PMC9181617 DOI: 10.3390/ma15113842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the areas of research on materials for thin-film solar cells focuses on replacing In and Ga with more earth-abundant elements. In that respect, chalcostibite (CuSbS2) is being considered as a promising environmentally friendly and cost-effective photovoltaic absorber material. In the present work, single CuSbS2 phase was synthesized directly by a short-duration (2 h) mechanochemical-synthesis step starting from mixtures of elemental powders. X-ray diffraction analysis of the synthesized CuSbS2 powders revealed a good agreement with the orthorhombic chalcostibite phase, space group Pnma, and a crystallite size of 26 nm. Particle-size characterization revealed a multimodal distribution with a median diameter ranging from of 2.93 μm to 3.10 μm. The thermal stability of the synthesized CuSbS2 powders was evaluated by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. No phase change was observed by heat-treating the mechanochemically synthesized powders at 350 °C for 24 h. By UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy the optical band gap was determined to be 1.41 eV, suggesting that the mechanochemically synthesized CuSbS2 can be considered suitable to be used as absorber materials. Overall, the results show that the mechanochemical process is a viable route for the synthesis of materials for photovoltaic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Esperto
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; (L.E.); (I.F.); (J.M.); (J.B.C.)
| | - Isabel Figueira
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; (L.E.); (I.F.); (J.M.); (J.B.C.)
| | - João Mascarenhas
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; (L.E.); (I.F.); (J.M.); (J.B.C.)
| | - Teresa P. Silva
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada da Portela, Bairro do Zambujal—Alfragide, Apartado 7586, 2610-999 Amadora, Portugal;
| | - José B. Correia
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; (L.E.); (I.F.); (J.M.); (J.B.C.)
| | - Filipe Neves
- LNEG, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal; (L.E.); (I.F.); (J.M.); (J.B.C.)
- Correspondence:
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10
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Mashadieva LF, Alieva ZM, Mirzoeva RD, Yusibov YA, Shevel’kov AV, Babanly MB. Phase Equilibria in the Cu2Se–GeSe2–SnSe2 System. RUSS J INORG CHEM+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0036023622050126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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11
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Zhou L, Ren HL, Yang CQ, Wu YX, Jin BB. ATO/CuS composite counter electrodes enhanced the photovoltaic performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2022.109273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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12
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Hadke S, Huang M, Chen C, Tay YF, Chen S, Tang J, Wong L. Emerging Chalcogenide Thin Films for Solar Energy Harvesting Devices. Chem Rev 2021; 122:10170-10265. [PMID: 34878268 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Chalcogenide semiconductors offer excellent optoelectronic properties for their use in solar cells, exemplified by the commercialization of Cu(In,Ga)Se2- and CdTe-based photovoltaic technologies. Recently, several other chalcogenides have emerged as promising photoabsorbers for energy harvesting through the conversion of solar energy to electricity and fuels. The goal of this review is to summarize the development of emerging binary (Sb2X3, GeX, SnX), ternary (Cu2SnX3, Cu2GeX3, CuSbX2, AgBiX2), and quaternary (Cu2ZnSnX4, Ag2ZnSnX4, Cu2CdSnX4, Cu2ZnGeX4, Cu2BaSnX4) chalcogenides (X denotes S/Se), focusing especially on the comparative analysis of their optoelectronic performance metrics, electronic band structure, and point defect characteristics. The performance limiting factors of these photoabsorbers are discussed, together with suggestions for further improvement. Several relatively unexplored classes of chalcogenide compounds (such as chalcogenide perovskites, bichalcogenides, etc.) are highlighted, based on promising early reports on their optoelectronic properties. Finally, pathways for practical applications of emerging chalcogenides in solar energy harvesting are discussed against the backdrop of a market dominated by Si-based solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyash Hadke
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.,Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N), Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553, Singapore
| | - Menglin Huang
- Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (MOE), Key State Key Laboratory of ASIC and System and School of Microelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Chao Chen
- School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Ying Fan Tay
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.,Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 2 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 138634, Singapore
| | - Shiyou Chen
- Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (MOE), Key State Key Laboratory of ASIC and System and School of Microelectronics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jiang Tang
- School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.,Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Lydia Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.,Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), Nanomaterials for Energy and Energy-Water Nexus (NEW), Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore 138602, Singapore
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13
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Guo Y, Li X, Zhao Z, Wang H, Qu J, Hu Z, Xie H, Yin H. Electrochemically Converting Liquid Cu
2
S‐Sb
2
S
3
to Liquid Cu
2
Sb and Sulfur in Molten Salt at 730 °C. ChemElectroChem 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/celc.202101369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanyang Guo
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Xianyang Li
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Zhuqing Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Hongya Wang
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Jiakang Qu
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Zuojun Hu
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Hongwei Xie
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
| | - Huayi Yin
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Metallurgy of Multimetallic Mineral of Ministry of Education School of Metallurgy Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
- School of Resource and Environmental Science Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Data Analytics and Optimization for Smart Industry of Ministry of Education Northeastern University Shenyang 110819 P. R. China
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14
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Huang YT, Kavanagh SR, Scanlon DO, Walsh A, Hoye RLZ. Perovskite-inspired materials for photovoltaics and beyond-from design to devices. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 32:132004. [PMID: 33260167 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abcf6d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Lead-halide perovskites have demonstrated astonishing increases in power conversion efficiency in photovoltaics over the last decade. The most efficient perovskite devices now outperform industry-standard multi-crystalline silicon solar cells, despite the fact that perovskites are typically grown at low temperature using simple solution-based methods. However, the toxicity of lead and its ready solubility in water are concerns for widespread implementation. These challenges, alongside the many successes of the perovskites, have motivated significant efforts across multiple disciplines to find lead-free and stable alternatives which could mimic the ability of the perovskites to achieve high performance with low temperature, facile fabrication methods. This Review discusses the computational and experimental approaches that have been taken to discover lead-free perovskite-inspired materials, and the recent successes and challenges in synthesizing these compounds. The atomistic origins of the extraordinary performance exhibited by lead-halide perovskites in photovoltaic devices is discussed, alongside the key challenges in engineering such high-performance in alternative, next-generation materials. Beyond photovoltaics, this Review discusses the impact perovskite-inspired materials have had in spurring efforts to apply new materials in other optoelectronic applications, namely light-emitting diodes, photocatalysts, radiation detectors, thin film transistors and memristors. Finally, the prospects and key challenges faced by the field in advancing the development of perovskite-inspired materials towards realization in commercial devices is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Teng Huang
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Seán R Kavanagh
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Thomas Young Centre, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - David O Scanlon
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
- Thomas Young Centre, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Diamond Light Source Ltd., Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE, United Kingdom
| | - Aron Walsh
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Robert L Z Hoye
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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15
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Impurity Phases and Optoelectronic Properties of CuSbSe2 Thin Films Prepared by Cosputtering Process for Absorber Layer in Solar Cells. COATINGS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/coatings10121209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
When there is a choice of materials for an application, particular emphasis should be given to the development of those that are low-cost, nontoxic, and Earth-abundant. Chalcostibite CuSbSe2 has gained attention as a potential absorber material for thin-film solar cells, since it exhibits a high absorption coefficient. In this study, CuSbSe2 thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron cosputtering with CuSe2 and Sb targets. A series of CuSbxSe2 thin films were prepared with different Sb contents adjusted by sputtering power, followed by rapid thermal annealing. Impurity phases and surface morphology of Cu–Sb–Se systems were directly affected by the Sb sputtering power, with the formation of volatile components. The crystallinity of the CuSbSe2 thin films was also enhanced in the near-stoichiometric system at an Sb sputtering power of 15 W, and considerable degradation in crystallinity occurred with a slight increase over 19 W. Resistivity, carrier mobility, and carrier concentration of the near-stoichiometric thin film were 14.4 Ω-cm, 3.27 cm2/V∙s, and 1.33 × 1017 cm−3, respectively. The optical band gap and absorption coefficient under the same conditions were 1.7 eV and 1.75 × 105 cm−1, which are acceptable for highly efficient thin-film solar cells.
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16
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Palchoudhury S, Ramasamy K, Gupta A. Multinary copper-based chalcogenide nanocrystal systems from the perspective of device applications. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2020; 2:3069-3082. [PMID: 36134292 PMCID: PMC9418475 DOI: 10.1039/d0na00399a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Multinary chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals are a unique class of materials as they offer flexibility in composition, structure, and morphology for controlled band gap and optical properties. They offer a vast selection of materials for energy conversion, storage, and harvesting applications. Among the multinary chalcogenides, Cu-based compounds are the most attractive in terms of sustainability as many of them consist of earth-abundant elements. There has been immense progress in the field of Cu-based chalcogenides for device applications in the recent years. This paper reviews the state of the art synthetic strategies and application of multinary Cu-chalcogenide nanocrystals in photovoltaics, photocatalysis, light emitting diodes, supercapacitors, and luminescent solar concentrators. This includes the synthesis of ternary, quaternary, and quinary Cu-chalcogenide nanocrystals. The review also highlights some emerging experimental and computational characterization approaches for multinary Cu-chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals. It discusses the use of different multinary Cu-chalcogenide compounds, achievements in device performance, and the recent progress made with multinary Cu-chalcogenide nanocrystals in various energy conversion and energy storage devices. The review concludes with an outlook on some emerging and future device applications for multinary Cu-chalcogenides, such as scalable luminescent solar concentrators and wearable biomedical electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Arunava Gupta
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Alabama AL USA
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17
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Jiang Y, Jia F, Chen L, Wu LM. Cu 4Bi 4Se 9: A Thermoelectric Symphony of Rattling, Anharmonic Lone-pair, and Structural Complexity. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:36616-36625. [PMID: 31507161 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b11115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Thermoelectric technology, enabling an environmentally friendly direct heat to electricity conversion, provides a possible alternative energy solution. To obtain a higher thermoelectric conversion efficiency, a larger dimensionless figure of merit ZT is required, which is, however, very difficult owing to the mutually restricted and even reversely correlated key property parameters. Herein, we report for the first time the thermoelectric properties of novel Cu4Bi4S9 and Cu4Bi4Se9 materials with complicated orthorhombic Pnma structures. Cu4Bi4Se9 exhibits an extremely low lattice thermal conductivity of about 0.29-0.35 W m-1 K-1 that is mainly ascribed to the high lattice anharmonicity coming from the synergistic effect of the crystal structure complexity, soft Cu-Se bonds with lower bonding energy, rattling of the Cu atoms, and the high anharmonicity of Bi atoms carrying stereochemically active lone-pair electrons. In spite of its poor electrical conductivity of 7.33 S cm-1, Cu4Bi4Se9 realizes a power factor of about 1.37 μW cm-1 K-2 at ∼530 K, and a figure of merit, ZT ∼0.24 at ∼530 K. Such a value is comparable with those of the Cu/Ag-Bi/Sb-S/Se-based ternary compounds, particularly, the 19 times higher ZT improvement with respect to the isostructural Cu4Bi4S9 suggests that the enhancing factors mentioned above play significant roles.
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18
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Whittles TJ, Veal TD, Savory CN, Yates PJ, Murgatroyd PAE, Gibbon JT, Birkett M, Potter RJ, Major JD, Durose K, Scanlon DO, Dhanak VR. Band Alignments, Band Gap, Core Levels, and Valence Band States in Cu 3BiS 3 for Photovoltaics. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:27033-27047. [PMID: 31276370 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b04268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The earth-abundant semiconductor Cu3BiS3 (CBS) exhibits promising photovoltaic properties and is often considered analogous to the solar absorbers copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) and copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) despite few device reports. The extent to which this is justifiable is explored via a thorough X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) analysis: spanning core levels, ionization potential, work function, surface contamination, cleaning, band alignment, and valence-band density of states. The XPS analysis overcomes and addresses the shortcomings of prior XPS studies of this material. Temperature-dependent absorption spectra determine a 1.2 eV direct band gap at room temperature; the widely reported 1.4-1.5 eV band gap is attributed to weak transitions from the low density of states of the topmost valence band previously being undetected. Density functional theory HSE06 + SOC calculations determine the band structure, optical transitions, and well-fitted absorption and Raman spectra. Valence band XPS spectra and model calculations find the CBS bonding to be superficially similar to CIGS and CZTS, but the Bi3+ cations (and formally occupied Bi 6s orbital) have fundamental impacts: giving a low ionization potential (4.98 eV), suggesting that the CdS window layer favored for CIGS and CZTS gives detrimental band alignment and should be rejected in favor of a better aligned material in order for CBS devices to progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Whittles
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Tim D Veal
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Christopher N Savory
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , Christopher Ingold Building , London WC1H 0AJ , U.K
- Thomas Young Centre , University College London , Gower Street , London WC1E 6BT , U.K
| | - Peter J Yates
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Philip A E Murgatroyd
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - James T Gibbon
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Max Birkett
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Richard J Potter
- Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 3GH , U.K
| | - Jonathan D Major
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - Ken Durose
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
| | - David O Scanlon
- Department of Chemistry , University College London , Christopher Ingold Building , London WC1H 0AJ , U.K
- Diamond Light Source Limited , Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus , Didcot , Oxfordshire OX11 0DE , U.K
- Thomas Young Centre , University College London , Gower Street , London WC1E 6BT , U.K
| | - Vinod R Dhanak
- Department of Physics and Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy , University of Liverpool , Liverpool , L69 7ZF , U.K
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