Cu 2 NiSnS 4 nanoparticles were prepared for the first time using a facile solid-phase process at a temperature of 180°C. The crystalline structure, morphology and optical properties of the Cu 2 NiSnS 4 nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer. The band gap and conversion efficiency of Cu 2 NiSnS 4 nanoparticles were studied at various temperature. The results showed that the Cu 2 NiSnS 4 nanoparticles exhibited an optimum band gap of 1.58 eV and a conversion efficiency of 0.64% at 180 °C, indicating that it maybe be useful in low-cost thin film solar cells.
Kaisi Liu,Bin Yao,Yongfeng Li,Zhanhui Ding,Zhenyu Xiao,Yuhong Jiang,Gang Wang,Daocheng Pan
Cu2CoSnS4 (CCTS) and Cu2NiSnS4 (CNTS) can be regarded as Cu2ZnSnS4 compounds with the Zn2+ replaced by Co2+ and Ni2+, and are alternative absorber materials in thin film solar cells. Here, we fabricated high-quality CCTS and CNTS nanocrystal thin films by employing the ion substitution strategy. We systematically studied the crystal structures, surface morphologies and compositions of the as-prepared and selenized thin films via X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The selenized CCTS and CNTS films showed an obvious phase separation process for the oxidizing reaction of Co2+ and Ni2+ with high-temperature selenium steam, and then formed Cu2Sn(S,Se)3, Co(S,Se)2 and Ni(S,Se)2 compounds. We successfully fabricated photodetector devices using CCTS and CNTS nanocrystal films, and achieved a strong and reversible photoresponse performance.