Open AccessEfficiency enhancement of Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 solar cells via surface treatment engineering
Author(s) -
Rongrong Chen,
Jiandong Fan,
Hongliang Li,
Chong Liu,
Yaohua Mai
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
royal society open science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
ISSN - 2054-5703
DOI - 10.1098/rsos.171163
Subject(s) - czts , materials science , hydrochloric acid , solar cell , photovoltaic system , etching (microfabrication) , thermal decomposition , energy conversion efficiency , layer (electronics) , chemical engineering , environmentally friendly , thin film , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , metallurgy , chemistry , electrical engineering , ecology , organic chemistry , biology , engineering
Pure-sulphide Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) thin film solar cells were prepared by a low-cost, non-toxic and high-throughput method based on the thermal decomposition and reaction of sol–gel precursor solution, followed by a high temperature sulfurization process in sulphur atmosphere, which usually gave rise to the unexpected Cu-poor and Zn-rich phase after sulfurization. In order to remove the formation of detrimental secondary phases, e.g. ZnS, a novel method with hydrochloric acid solution treatment to the CZTS absorber layer surface was employed. By using this method, a competitive power conversion efficiency as high as 4.73% was obtained, which is a factor of 4.8 of that of the control CZTS solar cell without surface treatment. This presents a customized process for CZTS photovoltaic technologies that is more environmentally friendly and considerably less toxic than the widely used KCN etching approach.