Premium
Solution‐Processed Semitransparent CZTS Thin‐Film Solar Cells via Cation Substitution and Rapid Thermal Annealing
Author(s) -
Leow Shin Woei,
Li Wenjie,
Tan Joel Ming Rui,
Venkataraj Selvaraj,
Tunuguntla Venkatesh,
Zhang Mengyuan,
Magdassi Shlomo,
Wong Lydia Helena
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
solar rrl
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.544
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2367-198X
DOI - 10.1002/solr.202100131
Subject(s) - czts , materials science , annealing (glass) , thin film , optoelectronics , photovoltaics , energy conversion efficiency , grain growth , tin oxide , copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , doping , solar cell , photovoltaic system , nanotechnology , metallurgy , grain size , electrical engineering , engineering
Semitransparent solar cells are able to capitalize on land scarcity in urban environments by co‐opting windows and glass structures as power generators, thereby expanding the capacity of photovoltaics to meet energy needs. To be successful, devices must be efficient, possess good visual transparency, long‐term stability, and low cost. Copper zinc tin sulfide is a promising thin‐film material that consists of earth‐abundant elements. For optical transparency, the usual molybdenum back contact is replaced with a transparent conducting oxide (TCO). However, due to subsequent high‐temperature annealing, the TCO degrades, losing conductivity, or forms a poor interface with CZTS. Lower temperatures mitigate this issue but hinder grain growth in CZTS films. Herein, cadmium substitution and silver and sodium doping are used to aid grain growth and improve film quality at lower annealing temperatures. Thin molybdenum is sputtered on TCO to help improve the interface transition postannealing by conversion to MoS 2 . Rapid thermal processing is used to minimize high‐temperature exposure time to preserve the TCO. With these methods, a semitransparent device with a front illumination efficiency of 2.96% is demonstrated.