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Fabrication of high-quality kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films deposited by an optimized sol–gel sulphurization technique for solar cells

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Abstract

Kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were prepared by spin-coating deposition of sol–gel precursor followed by optimized sulphurization via custom-made home-built sulphurization setup. The effects of sulphurization on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of CZTS thin films were investigated. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies revealed that the sulphurized CZTS thin films have a polycrystalline nature with a kesterite phase and the crystallite size of sulphurized CZTS thin film is higher as compare to as-synthesized CZTS thin films. The direct optical bandgap of sulphurized CZTS thin film is found to be 1.5 eV. Hall measurement indicates that the sulphurized CZTS thin films have p-type conductivity with charge carrier concentration of 9.47 × 1019 cm−3. Finally, a thin film solar cell was fabricated with the configuration—SLG/FTO/CdS/CZTS/Al. A photoelectric conversion efficiency of 1.5% was achieved with an open-circuit voltage of 0.32 V and a short-circuit current density of 11.9 mA cm−2. These findings clearly show that quality of CZTS samples and photovoltaic performance could be effectively improved by an optimized sol–gel sulphurization process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vishwakarma Government Engineering College, Chandkheda, Ahmedabad, 382424, India

    J. J. Chaudhari

  2. Department of Physics, University School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, 380009, India

    U. S. Joshi

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  1. J. J. Chaudhari
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Chaudhari, J.J., Joshi, U.S. Fabrication of high-quality kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films deposited by an optimized sol–gel sulphurization technique for solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 14411–14420 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-04000-7

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