SOLAR ENERGY
·
2017
·
IF 4.018
Yingli Pei,Jing Guo,Dongxing Kou,Wenhui Zhou,Zhengji Zhou,Qingwen Tian,Yuena Meng,Sixin Wu
The doping of indium into absorber layer has been proven to be beneficial for hybrid buffer structured Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 (CZTSSe) solar cells, but it is difficult to precisely control the doping content only relying on In diffusion from In 2 S 3 emitter. Herein, we use the solution method to prepare In-substituted CZTSSe layer by directly doping In 2 Se 3 into metal chalcogenides precursor solution. The doping content can be precisely controlled and the influences of indium doping on cell performance are systematically discussed. Mott-Schottky and resistivity measurements indicate that the carrier concentration and charge transport process are monotonically enhanced with increasing In/(In + Sn) content (0 at.%, 3 at.%, 6 at.% and 12 at.%). The improvements of series resistance also lead to a monotonic increase of fill factor ( FF ) from 52.1% to 64.8%. Due to the larger recombination at high doping content, the 6 at.% In content device finally contributes the highest power conversion efficiency of 8.47%. It is expected that a precisely controlled indium doping could further improve cell performance for efficient hybrid buffer structured devices.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
光伏技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
·
2022
·
IF 7.305
Xiatong Qin,Bin Xu,Jianjun Lin,Jiaqi Chen,Hanyu Tong,Ye Chen,Pingxiong Yang,Junhao Chu,Lin Sun
Electrodeposition is a promising method to fabricate Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (i.e., CZTSSe) absorber layer thanks to its many advantages such as low-cost and large-scale. However, the secondary phases and intrinsic defects in electrodeposited CZTSSe solar cells inevitably limit the photoelectric performance. Herein, two different kind of precursor films (binary-ternary selenide vs. quaternary selenide) are deliberately fabricated and the effect of these precursors on the secondary phases and intrinsic defects of CZTSSe absorber layer are investigated comprehensively. The absorber layer obtained from binary-ternary selenide precursor has a small amount of ZnSe secondary phases and Cu Sn deep defects , whereas that obtained from the quaternary selenide precursor exhibits the favorable V Cu shallow defects, which is beneficial to the efficiency improvement in CZTSSe. Based on the quaternary selenide precursor film, the CZTSSe solar cell with 10.03% total area efficiency (the active area efficiency is 10.9%) was obtained. This is the highest efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells prepared by the electrodeposition method.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Energy Materials
·
2022
·
IF 6.959
Jiayong Zhang,Bin Yao,Zhanhui Ding,Yongfeng Li
The performance stability of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells is one of the key issues for its commercialization. Currently, Cu+ and Cu2+ salts have been successfully used to prepare CZTSSe solar cells, but comparative studies on the performance stability of the two types of solar cells are scarce. In this work, the performance degradation processes of CZTSSe solar cells, stored for 249 days under dry conditions, prepared respectively with Cu2+ and Cu+ salts (denoted Cu2+-cell and Cu+-cell, respectively) are investigated. It is found that the Cu+-cell has a higher initial PCE but worse performance stability than the Cu2+-cell. By calculation of the contribution percentage of VOC, JSC, and FF to the PCE and JL, Rs, Rsh, and (A, J0) to VOC, JSC, and FF for the two types of solar cells with the best initial PCE, it is concluded that the contribution percentages of JL, Rs, Rsh, and (A, J0) to a decreased PCE for the Cu2+-cell are nearly equal, while the decreased PCE for the Cu+-cell dominantly comes from a greatly decreased Rsh and sharply increased J0. The great decrease in Rsh is due to the formation of SnSe2, which may result from its chemical reaction pathway to fabricate the CZTSSe absorber. The sharp increase in J0 may be attributed to the formation of SnZn antisite defects. This work indicates that it is important to consider the Cu oxidation state of the salts to improve the stability of solution-processed CZTSSe solar cells.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
可再生能源
·
光电转换
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
·
2022
·
IF 7.305
Jiajia Guo,Yang Mao,Jianping Ao,Yanchen Han,Chun Cao,Fangfang Liu,Yi Zhang
Although the ohmic-contact and electrostatic field can be regulated by the intermediate layer for efficient carrier extraction, challenges remain in high-quality back contact as well as improved quality of crystallized CZTSSe absorber layer simultaneously. Here, we introduce a controllable CdS nanolayer prepared by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) process between the CZTS precursors and Mo back contact. The results disclose that the surface chemistry of the naked Mo film can be modified by the formed CdS nanolayer and thus MoS 2 complex during the chemical bath process. However, such CdS nanolayer and MoS 2 complex can be readily consumed during the following selenization process, without deteriorating the ohmic-back contact. Simultaneously, the as-grown CZTSSe absorber is not only with high crystallinity and less composition fluctuations, but also doped by Cd 2+ . Subsequently the efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells is increased by 26% as CdS nanolayer is introduced. This work provides a cost-effective and universal approach to design and modify the interface or surface of photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical devices.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
太阳能电池技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
AIP Advances
·
2021
·Vol. 11
·期 7
·
IF 1.548
Lv Xiaogong,Zhu Chengjun,Yang Yanchun,Liu Ruijian,Fan Wenliang,Wang Yiming
In this work, Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) precursor films were deposited using a water-based solution approach. Subsequently, selenization was performed at different temperatures in the range of 480–610 °C to prepare Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) absorber-layer films. The effects of the selenization temperature on the crystallinity, structure, morphology, and photoelectric properties of CZTSSe thin films, as well as the performance of solar cells constructed using these films, were systematically studied. The absorber-layer films selenized at different temperatures all formed pure-phase CZTSSe and had basically the same film thickness. It was found that application of an optimal selenization temperature can enhance the crystallinity, crystal grain size, and mobility and reduce the resistivity of CZTSSe films. Selenization at 550 °C resulted in the largest grain size (∼ μ m), the highest crystallinity, the highest mobility (4.29 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), the lowest resistivity (3.13 × 10 2 Ω cm), the thinner fine-grained layer, a bandgap value of 1.21 eV, and a Cu-poor, Zn-rich elemental composition [Cu/(Zn + Sn) = 0.85 and Zn/Sn = 1.16]. The power-conversion efficiency was improved from 3.04% in a CZTSSe cell device with an absorber layer selenized at 480 °C to 4.69% in a film selenized at 550 °C. This was mainly due to the improvement of the crystallinity, crystal grain growth, and reduction of the fine-grained layer of the CZTSSe film. These results show that optimizing the selenization temperature is essential for enhancing the performance and the ultimate device efficiency of CZTSSe absorber layers prepared using a water-based solution approach.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Science China-Materials
·
2026
·Vol. 69
·期 3
·1677-1690
·
IF 7.7
Liu Tong,Han Litao,Pei Lunan,Zhong Xinyi,Yang Wentong,Leng Kelin,Zeng Qiang,Kou Dongxing,Zhou Zhengji,Liu Fangyang,Wu Sixin
Kesterite Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) solar cells suffer from significant open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) deficits due to severe interfacial and bulk recombination, restricting their power conversion efficiency (PCE) far below the Shockley-Queisser limit. This work proposes a low-temperature annealing strategy during ITO sputtering (SA) to synergistically address these challenges. The temperature applied during ITO sputtering not only improves the crystallinity, carrier concentration, and optical transmittance of the ITO layer but also promotes the diffusion of In from ITO into both CdS and CZTSSe layers. Consequently, lattice matching at the CZTSSe/CdS interface is optimized, enabling epitaxial growth. And a favorable ITO/In:CdS/In&Cd:CZTSSe structure with optimal band alignment is obtained. As a result, a champion device with a PCE of 14.29% was achieved. The SA-treating also enabled the CZTSSe solar cells to achieve the highest V OC reported to date, exceeding 590 mV. This underscores the essential role of SA processing in optimizing interface engineering and suppressing defects, thus promoting the development of low-cost, high-performance kesterite photovoltaics.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
Science China-Materials
·
2025
·Vol. 68
·期 2
·523-530
·
IF 7.4
Zheng Yuanyuan,Xiang Chunxu,Gong Yuancai,Li Yize,Xiao Shiliang,Guo Haoyu,Ma Chengfeng,Wang Shaoying,Yan Weibo,Huang Wei,Xin Hao
Kesterite Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) thin-film solar cells are considered promising candidates for sustainable photovoltaic applications due to their high theoretical efficiency and the abundance of low-toxicity elements. However, their performance is hindered by Cu Zn antisite defects and associated defect clusters, which contribute to harmful band tailing and non-radiative recombination. Substituting Zn with Cd, which has a larger ionic radius, has been shown to effectively suppress non-radiative recombination, achieving efficiencies of up to 11.73%. However, the effect of Cd alloying on absorber morphology, electronic properties, and device performance has not yet been fully explored. In this work, using the Cu + -Sn 4+ -dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution as a platform, we have successfully incorporated Cd 2+ into the lattice of CZTSSe across the full concentration range, enabling a systematic investigation of the Cd alloying effect. The results show that Cd alloying promotes grain growth, resulting in a flat and compact film at low concentration, but excessive grain growth at high concentration. Furthermore, low Cd content inhibits lattice disorder, thereby reducing band tailing. Incorporation of Cd is found to linearly reduce the band gap by raising the valence band maximum and lowering the conduction band minimum, which increases the conduction band offset (CBO) at the heterojunction, but the CBO remains a relatively ideal value (<0.3 eV) at low Cd content (<50%). Notably, the 5% Cd alloyed CZTSSe solar cell achieved 13.31% efficiency without an anti-reflective coating, owing to the improved film properties, ideal CBO (<0.24 eV), and suppressed interface recombination. This represents an over 7.0% improvement compared to the intrinsic device performance without Cd alloying. However, high-concentration Cd alloying can damage the absorber, leading to void formation within the grains and the crystal structure transition from kesterite to stannite at 50% Cd, resulting in significant device performance degradation.
研究领域:
光伏
·
材料科学
·
半导体薄膜
·
可再生能源
·
固体物理
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Journal of Physical Chemistry C
·
2021
·
IF 4.126
Jiayong Zhang,Ting Wang,Bin Yao,Zhanhui Ding,Yongfeng Li,Chunkai Wang,Jia Liu
High carrier recombination at the Cu2ZnSn (S, Se)4(CZTSSe)/CdS interface is the critical issue that results in the low power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CZTSSe solar cells. To reduce the recombination by optimizing the CZTSSe/CdS interfacial structure, we fabricated a Zn doped CdS (ZnxCd1 – xS) thin film with x of 0–0.32 and a CZTSSe solar cell with the ZnxCd1 – xS as the buffer layer. It is found that Zn substitutes for Cd in the x range of 0–0.26 and that some of the Zn substitutes for Cd and another Zn locates in the interstitial site of the CdS lattice in the x range of 0.26–0.32, which make the lattice mismatch between CZTSSe and ZnxCd1 – xS decrease in x of 0–0.26 and increase in x of 0.26–0.32. The conduction band offset at the CZTSSe/ZnxCd1 – xS interface is demonstrated by XPS to be a positive ″spike″-like type and increases from 0.11 to 0.43 eV as x increases from 0 to 0.32. PCE is increased from 5.00 to 7.73% by optimizing x. The increased PCE is attributed to increased open-circuit voltage (VOC) and filling factor (FF), while the decreased PCE is due to decreased VOC, FF, and JSC. By using quantitative analysis methods, the increased VOC and FF are mainly attributed to the increased shunt resistance (Rsh) and decreased reverse saturation current density (J0), and the decreased short-circuit current density (JSC) is attributed to the increased conduction band offset (CBO). The influence mechanism of Zn doping on Rsh, J0, and CBO is discussed.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
能源科学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
·
2023
·Vol. 52
·期 8
·5422-5429
·
IF 2.1
Xu Jiaxiong,Wu Xiaoshuai
Chalcogenide Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) is a promising absorber material for photovoltaic applications. When CZTSSe thin film is deposited on an Mo substrate, a Mo(S,Se) 2 layer easily forms between the CZTSSe and the Mo, which is detrimental to the back contact property of the CZTSSe. This work proposes a useful way to inhibit the formation of Mo(S,Se) 2 by sputtering a CuCrO 2 layer on a Mo-foil substrate before the deposition of the CZTSSe. The effects of CuCrO 2 thickness on the crystalline structures, morphologies, and electrical properties of the fabricated samples were studied. The results showed that the insertion of the CuCrO 2 layer prevented the formation of Mo(S,Se) 2 . As the thickness of the CuCrO 2 increased, the thickness of the Mo(S,Se) 2 layer decreased. The Mo(S,Se) 2 layer was absent from the cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy image when the CuCrO 2 thickness exceeded 85 nm. The back contact resistance of CZTSSe decreased monotonously as the CuCrO 2 layer thickened due to the reduction in the Mo(S,Se) 2 layer thickness. Therefore, by inserting a CuCrO 2 layer to separate the CZTSSe and the Mo-foil, the formation of the Mo(S,Se) 2 layer between them was effectively suppressed, and the back contact properties of the CZTSSe thin film were significantly enhanced.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
光伏技术
·
薄膜太阳能电池
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING
·
2021
·
IF 3.927
Qiulian Li,Shizhong Sun,Xinyu Li,Xiang Li,Xiu Liu,Daoyong Zhang,Na Yu,Shurong Wang
Kesterite Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) is emerging as one of the most promising materials owing to its low-cost, non-toxicity, similar electronic properties with Cu 2 (In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS). However, the current highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) for CZTSSe device is far below the CIGS because of the high open-circuit voltage (V oc ) deficit and low fill factor (FF). Here, we fabricated CZTSSe thin film from 2-methoxyethanol solutions and investigated the effects of different Sn (Sn 2+ vs Sn 4+ ) oxidation states of precursor solution and selenization temperature on the crystal quality of the CZTSSe thin film and device performances. By characterizations and analyses, we found that incomplete redox reaction caused by the off-stoichiometric component in Sn 2+ precursor solution led to the formation of detrimental secondary phases such as SnSe, Cu 2 Se, and SnSe 2 in the CZTSSe thin film. The existence of volatile SnSe could cause the formation of voids and thus affected the FF and V oc . The reaction from Sn 4+ precursor solution to absorber material avoided the formation of SnSe. Ultimately, the Sn 4+ thin film showed better features in terms of improving crystal quality and reducing V oc deficit that limited the efficiency of kesterite CZTSSe thin film solar cells. Besides, we demonstrated that an appropriate selenization temperature could further reduce the number of secondary phases and improve the surface morphology and crystallinity of the CZTSSe thin film. As a result, we obtained CZTSSe thin film solar cells with 8.27% PCE from the Sn 4+ precursor solution under the selenization temperature of 580 °C.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
太阳能电池研究
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
·
2022
·
IF 7.305
Xudong Sun,Lei Yu,Fengxia Yang,Xiaofei Dong,Jiangtao Chen,Xuqiang Zhang,Yun Zhao,Yan Li
It is widely known that the challenge of making good electrical contact at the back electrode interface will always follow us for high-efficient kesterite-type CZTSSe thin-film solar cells. Aiming at clarifying the correlation of device performance on the micro-structure of back interface, we come up with a new fresh design that introducing in-situ anodized MoO 3 porous arrays with regulated structural parameters acts as the back interfacial contact. Regards the such array-structures of interpenetrated CZTSSe and MoO 3 , the study reveals that the overall device performance is closely related to the micro-structure of the MoO 3 interface layer , and the optimized device efficiency can be improved to 9.00% from 6.31% (Ref. Mo-based cells), having a 32% increased J SC together with a 64% increase in FF. The performance improvement mechanism is analyzed in details. The interesting preliminary finding would indicate that the new strategy is very effective to form reliable electrical contact at the back interface for high-efficient CZTSSe solar cells.
研究领域:
光伏技术
·
材料科学
·
薄膜太阳能电池
·
可再生能源
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2023
·
IF 9.5
Qiong Ma,Xin-Pan Cui,Wen-Hui Zhou,Dong-Xing Kou,Zheng-Ji Zhou,Yue-Na Meng,Ya-Fang Qi,Sheng-Jie Yuan,Li-Tao Han,Si-Xin Wu
Kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) has been considered as the most promising absorber material for inorganic thin-film solar cells. Among the three main interfaces in CZTSSe-based solar cells, the CZTSSe/Mo back interface plays an essential role in hole extraction as well as device performance. During the selenization process, the reaction between CZTSSe and Mo is one of the main reasons that lead to a large open circuit voltage (VOC) deficit, low short circuit current (Jsc), and fill factor. In this study, 2D Ti3C2-MXene was introduced as an intermediate layer to optimize the interface between the CZTSSe absorber layer and Mo back contact. Benefiting from the 2D Ti3C2-MXene intermediate layer, the reaction between CZTSSe and Mo was effectually suppressed, thus, significantly reducing the thickness of the detrimental Mo(S,Se)2 layer as well as interface recombination at the CZTSSe/Mo back interface. As a result, the power conversion efficiency of the champion device fabricated with the 2D Ti3C2-MXene intermediate layer was improved from 10.89 to 13.14% (active-area efficiency). This study demonstrates the potential use of the 2D Ti3C2-MXene intermediate layer for efficient CZTSSe solar cells and promotes a deeper understanding of the back interface in CZTSSe solar cells.
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子