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Tanaya Das H, Dutta S, Gaurav K, Kanti Giri A, Mondal A, Kumar Jena R, Das N. CZTS (Cu 2ZnSnS 4)-based Nanomaterials in Photocatalytic and Hydrogen Production Applications: A Recent Progress towards Sustainable Environment. Chem Asian J 2024; 19:e202300813. [PMID: 37939281 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202300813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
A variety of unique compounds have been examined to accommodate the current demand for useful multi-functional nanomaterials, copper-based quaternary CZTS semiconductors are one of them. Due to their special characteristic features like non-toxicity, cheap, and abundance, they have been recommended in recent literature for various applications. Apart from individual CZTS, different hetero-structures have also been prepared with different compounds which is well discussed and elaborated in this article. Additionally, their preparation methods, properties, and application viability have also been discussed comprehensively. The application of CZTS such as photocatalytic dye degradation and hydrogen evolution reaction has been elaborated on in this article identifying their benefits and challenges to give readers a thorough visualization. Apart from that, challenges reported in studies, a few approaches are also mentioned to possibly counter them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himadri Tanaya Das
- Centre of Excellence for Advance Materials and Applications, Department of Chemistry, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Swapnamoy Dutta
- Swapnamoy Dutta, University of Tennessee, Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Kumar Gaurav
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India
| | - Arnab Kanti Giri
- Department of Chemistry, Karim City College, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, 831001, India
| | - Aniruddha Mondal
- Centre of Excellence for Advance Materials and Applications, Department of Chemistry, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Tatung University, No. 40, Sec., 3, Chungshan North Rd., Taipei City, 104, Taiwan
| | - Rajesh Kumar Jena
- Centre of Excellence for Advance Materials and Applications, Department of Chemistry, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Nigamananda Das
- Centre of Excellence for Advance Materials and Applications, Department of Chemistry, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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Nautiyal H, Lohani K, Mukherjee B, Isotta E, Malagutti MA, Ataollahi N, Pallecchi I, Putti M, Misture ST, Rebuffi L, Scardi P. Mechanochemical Synthesis of Sustainable Ternary and Quaternary Nanostructured Cu 2SnS 3, Cu 2ZnSnS 4, and Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 Chalcogenides for Thermoelectric Applications. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13020366. [PMID: 36678122 PMCID: PMC9866987 DOI: 10.3390/nano13020366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Copper-based chalcogenides have emerged as promising thermoelectric materials due to their high thermoelectric performance, tunable transport properties, earth abundance and low toxicity. We have presented an overview of experimental results and first-principal calculations investigating the thermoelectric properties of various polymorphs of Cu2SnS3 (CTS), Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), and Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) synthesized by high-energy reactive mechanical alloying (ball milling). Of particular interest are the disordered polymorphs of these materials, which exhibit phonon-glass-electron-crystal behavior-a decoupling of electron and phonon transport properties. The interplay of cationic disorder and nanostructuring leads to ultra-low thermal conductivities while enhancing electronic transport. These beneficial transport properties are the consequence of a plethora of features, including trap states, anharmonicity, rattling, and conductive surface states, both topologically trivial and non-trivial. Based on experimental results and computational methods, this report aims to elucidate the details of the electronic and lattice transport properties, thereby confirming that the higher thermoelectric (TE) performance of disordered polymorphs is essentially due to their complex crystallographic structures. In addition, we have presented synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD) measurements and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations of the root-mean-square displacement (RMSD) in these materials, confirming anharmonicity and bond inhomogeneity for disordered polymorphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Nautiyal
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Ketan Lohani
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Binayak Mukherjee
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Eleonora Isotta
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Marcelo Augusto Malagutti
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Narges Ataollahi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Ilaria Pallecchi
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—SuPerconducting and Other INnovative Materials and Devices Institute (CNR-SPIN), Department of Physics, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
| | - Marina Putti
- Department of Physics, University of Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova, Italy
| | - Scott T. Misture
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 14802, USA
| | - Luca Rebuffi
- Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Paolo Scardi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
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Zaki M, Sava F, Simandan ID, Buruiana AT, Stavarache I, Bocirnea AE, Mihai C, Velea A, Galca AC. A Two-Step Magnetron Sputtering Approach for the Synthesis of Cu 2ZnSnS 4 Films from Cu 2SnS 3\ZnS Stacks. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:23800-23814. [PMID: 35847258 PMCID: PMC9281322 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is regarded as one of the emerging materials for next-generation thin film solar cells. However, its synthesis is complex, and obtaining a single-phase CZTS thin film is difficult. This work reports the elaboration of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films by a sequential magnetron sputtering deposition of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) and ZnS as stacked films. Initially, the CTS films were prepared on a soda lime glass substrate by annealing Cu and SnS2 stacked layers. Second, ZnS was deposited by magnetron sputtering on the CTS films. The CTS\ZnS stacks were then annealed in Sn + S or S atmospheres. The tetragonal CZTS structure was obtained and confirmed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The morphological and compositional characteristics, measured by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, revealed large grains and dense surfaces with the elemental composition close to the intended stoichiometry. Additional X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements were performed to determine the surface chemistry and particularities of the obtained films. The optical properties, determined using conventional spectroscopy, showed optimal absorber layer band gap values ranging between 1.38 and 1.50 eV. The electrical measurements showed that all the films are p-type with high carrier concentrations in the range of 1015 to 1020 cm-3. This new synthesis route for CZTS opens the way to obtain high-quality films by an industry-compatible method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed
Yassine Zaki
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
| | - Florinel Sava
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
| | | | - Angel Theodor Buruiana
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Bucharest, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
| | - Ionel Stavarache
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
| | | | - Claudia Mihai
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
| | - Alin Velea
- National
Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor 405A, Magurele 077125, Romania
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Isotta E, Mukherjee B, Bette S, Dinnebier R, Scardi P. Static and dynamic components of Debye-Waller coefficients in the novel cubic polymorph of low-temperature disordered Cu 2ZnSnS 4. IUCRJ 2022; 9:272-285. [PMID: 35371505 PMCID: PMC8895019 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252522000239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is an attractive material for sustainable photovoltaics and thermoelectrics, and several properties originate from its marked polymorphism. High-energy mechanical alloying is found to lead to a disordered phase that possesses a sphalerite-like cubic structure. This is investigated in detail with the aid of laboratory and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, electron microscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics. The disordered cubic polymorph is preserved below 663 K. With thermal treatments above 663 K, the tetragonal kesterite phase forms, used here as a reference for structural and microstructural features. Particular attention is paid to the stacking arrangement: a significant fraction of twin faults was found in the disordered cubic samples, which then progressively annealed with domain growth and with the transition to the ordered tetragonal phase. This study also focuses on Debye-Waller coefficients, which were found to be considerably larger for the disordered cubic than the tetragonal sample. Indeed, disorder leads to an ∼1 Å2 upward shift through the temperature range 100-700 K, a feature confirmed by ab initio calculations, which points to a particularly high contribution from disordered Sn cations. This supports the general understanding that structural disorder introduces a temperature-independent static contribution to the atomic mean-square displacement. Debye-Waller coefficients are found to be a good measure of this disorder, known to have a critical effect on transport properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Isotta
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 77 via Mesiano, Trento 38123, Italy
| | - Binayak Mukherjee
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 77 via Mesiano, Trento 38123, Italy
| | - Sebastian Bette
- Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart Germany
| | - Robert Dinnebier
- Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Stuttgart Germany
| | - Paolo Scardi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 77 via Mesiano, Trento 38123, Italy
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Ahmoum H, Sukor Su'ait M, Ataollahi N, Ubaidah Syafiq Mustaffa M, Boughrara M, Chelvanathan P, Sopian K, Li G, Kerouad M, Scardi P, Wang Q. Suppressing the secondary phases via N2 preheating of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films with the addition of oleylamine and/or 1-Dodecanethiol solvents. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2021.109031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Md Aspan R, Fatima N, Mohamed R, Syafiq U, Ibrahim MA. An Overview of the Strategies for Tin Selenide Advancement in Thermoelectric Application. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:1463. [PMID: 34945312 PMCID: PMC8709453 DOI: 10.3390/mi12121463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Chalcogenide, tin selenide-based thermoelectric (TE) materials are Earth-abundant, non-toxic, and are proven to be highly stable intrinsically with ultralow thermal conductivity. This work presented an updated review regarding the extraordinary performance of tin selenide in TE applications, focusing on the crystal structures and their commonly used fabrication methods. Besides, various optimization strategies were recorded to improve the performance of tin selenide as a mid-temperature TE material. The analyses and reviews over the methodologies showed a noticeable improvement in the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient, with a noticeable decrement in the thermal conductivity, thereby enhancing the tin selenide figure of merit value. The applications of SnSe in the TE fields such as microgenerators, and flexible and wearable devices are also discussed. In the future, research in low-dimensional TE materials focusing on nanostructures and nanocomposites can be conducted with the advancements in material science technology as well as microtechnology and nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosnita Md Aspan
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (R.M.A.); (N.F.); (U.S.)
| | - Noshin Fatima
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (R.M.A.); (N.F.); (U.S.)
| | - Ramizi Mohamed
- Department of Electrical, Electronics and System Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Ubaidah Syafiq
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (R.M.A.); (N.F.); (U.S.)
| | - Mohd Adib Ibrahim
- Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (R.M.A.); (N.F.); (U.S.)
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Mukherjee B, Isotta E, Fanciulli C, Ataollahi N, Scardi P. Topological Anderson Insulator in Cation-Disordered Cu 2ZnSnS 4. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11102595. [PMID: 34685036 PMCID: PMC8540407 DOI: 10.3390/nano11102595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We present the first candidate for the realization of a disorder-induced Topological Anderson Insulator in a real material system. High-energy reactive mechanical alloying produces a polymorph of Cu2ZnSnS4 with high cation disorder. Density functional theory calculations show an inverted ordering of bands at the Brillouin zone center for this polymorph, which is in contrast to its ordered phase. Adiabatic continuity arguments establish that this disordered Cu2ZnSnS4 can be connected to the closely related Cu2ZnSnSe4, which was previously predicted to be a 3D topological insulator, while band structure calculations with a slab geometry reveal the presence of robust surface states. This evidence makes a strong case in favor of a novel topological phase. As such, the study opens up a window to understanding and potentially exploiting topological behavior in a rich class of easily-synthesized multinary, disordered compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binayak Mukherjee
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy; (E.I.); (N.A.)
- Correspondence: (B.M.); (P.S.)
| | - Eleonora Isotta
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy; (E.I.); (N.A.)
| | - Carlo Fanciulli
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (CNR-ICMATE), Lecco Unit, Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy;
| | - Narges Ataollahi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy; (E.I.); (N.A.)
| | - Paolo Scardi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy; (E.I.); (N.A.)
- Correspondence: (B.M.); (P.S.)
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8
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Isotta E, Syafiq U, Ataollahi N, Chiappini A, Malerba C, Luong S, Trifiletti V, Fenwick O, Pugno NM, Scardi P. Thermoelectric properties of CZTS thin films: effect of Cu-Zn disorder. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:13148-13158. [PMID: 34075978 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp01327k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cu-Zn disorder is known to deeply affect kesterite (Cu2ZnSnS4, CZTS) due to the low temperature order-disorder phase transition, leading to a random occupation of the two cations in the shared crystallographic planes. This defect complex has been extensively studied in the thin film photovoltaic sector, with considerable efforts in developing methods to quantify disorder. In this study, a preliminary investigation of thermoelectric properties in temperature for thin film CZTS is presented. It is found that Cu-Zn disorder enhances both electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient. This can positively affect the thermoelectric performance, showing a mechanism of potential interest for a broad class of quaternary chalcogenides. The order-disorder transition is clearly visible in the electronic properties. This feature is repeatable, with samples from different preparations and groups showing consistent results, qualitatively suggesting electronic measurements as possible methods to quantify disorder. Furthermore, the reversibility of the transition allows the electronic properties to be tuned via specific thermal treatments, pointing to interesting applications in tunable electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Isotta
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
| | - U Syafiq
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy. and Solar Energy Research Institute, National University of Malaysia (SERI-UKM), 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - N Ataollahi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
| | - A Chiappini
- IFN-CNR CSMFO Lab. and FBK Photonics Unit, Trento, Italy
| | - C Malerba
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - S Luong
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - V Trifiletti
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - O Fenwick
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - N M Pugno
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy. and School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK and Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Laboratory of Bio-inspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials & Mechanics, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - P Scardi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
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Photoconversion Optimization of Pulsed-Laser-Deposited p-CZTS/n-Si-Nanowires Heterojunction-Based Photovoltaic Devices. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10071393. [PMID: 32709054 PMCID: PMC7407127 DOI: 10.3390/nano10071393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
We report on the achievement of novel photovoltaic devices based on the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of p-type Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) layers onto n-type silicon nanowires (SiNWs). To optimize the photoconversion efficiency of these p-CZTS/n-SiNWs heterojunction devices, both the thickness of the CZTS films and the length of the SiNWs were independently varied in the (0.3–1.0 µm) and (1–6 µm) ranges, respectively. The kësterite CZTS films were directly deposited onto the SiNWs/Si substrates by means of a one-step PLD approach at a substrate temperature of 300 °C and without resorting to any post-sulfurization process. The systematic assessment of the PV performance of the ITO/p-CZTS/n-SiNWs/Al solar cells, as a function of both SiNWs’ length and CZTS film thickness, has led to the identification of the optimal device characteristics. Indeed, an unprecedented power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as ~5.5%, a VOC of 400 mV, a JSC of 26.3 mA/cm2 and a FF of 51.8% were delivered by the devices formed by SiNWs having a length of 2.2 µm along with a CZTS film thickness of 540 nm. This PCE value is higher than the current record efficiency (of 5.2%) reported for pulsed-laser-deposited-CZTS (PLD-CZTS)-based solar cells with the classical SLG/Mo/CZTS/CdS/ZnO/ITO/Ag/MgF2 device architecture. The relative ease of depositing high-quality CZTS films by means of PLD (without resorting to any post deposition treatment) along with the gain from an extended CZTS/Si interface offered by the silicon nanowires make the approach developed here very promising for further integration of CZTS with the mature silicon nanostructuring technologies to develop novel optoelectronic devices.
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Ataollahi N, Bazerla F, Malerba C, Chiappini A, Ferrari M, Di Maggio R, Scardi P. Synthesis and Post-Annealing of Cu 2ZnSnS 4 Absorber Layers Based on Oleylamine/1-dodecanethiol. MATERIALS 2019; 12:ma12203320. [PMID: 31614724 PMCID: PMC6829339 DOI: 10.3390/ma12203320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals in oleylamine (OLA) and 1-dodecanethiol (1-DDT) solvents were successfully prepared via hot-injection method, to produce inks for the deposition of absorber layers in photovoltaic cells. In this process, 1-DDT acts as a coordinating ligand to control the nucleation and growth of CZTS nanocrystals, whereas lower amounts of OLA promote a homogeneous growth of the grains in the absorber layer. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed both tetragonal and hexagonal phases of CTZS in films obtained after soft thermal treatments (labeled TT0). In particular, 1-DDT is responsible for the formation of a greater percentage of the hexagonal phase (ZnS-wurtzite type) than that formed when only OLA is used. The thermal treatments have been varied from 500 °C to 600 °C for improving crystallization and eliminating secondary phases. Both features are known to promote CZTS thin films with band gap values typical of CZTS (1.5–1.6 eV) and suitable resistivity. This study let to compare also the CZTS post-annealing without (TT1) and with sulfur vapor (TT2) in a tubular furnace. Only tetragonal CZTS phase is observed in the XRD pattern of CZTS thin films after TT2. A small presence of localized residues of secondary phases on the same samples was revealed by μRaman measurements. The best values of band gap (1.50 eV) and resistivity (1.05 ohm.cm) were obtained after thermal treatment at 500 °C, which is suitable for absorber layer in photovoltaic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges Ataollahi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 30123 Trento, Italy; (F.B.); (P.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0461282600
| | - Francesca Bazerla
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 30123 Trento, Italy; (F.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Claudia Malerba
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Casaccia, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Chiappini
- Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies IFN -National Research Council CNR CSMFO Lab. & Fondazione Bruno Kessler FBK—Centro Materiali e Microsistemi CMM, via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Trento, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.)
| | - Maurizio Ferrari
- Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies IFN -National Research Council CNR CSMFO Lab. & Fondazione Bruno Kessler FBK—Centro Materiali e Microsistemi CMM, via alla Cascata 56/C, 38123 Trento, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.)
- Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche “Enrico Fermi”, Piazza del Viminale 1, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Rosa Di Maggio
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 30123 Trento, Italy; (F.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Paolo Scardi
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 30123 Trento, Italy; (F.B.); (P.S.)
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