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Improving the performance of Sb2Se3 thin-film solar cells using pyrolytic ammonium metatungstate back contact layer

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Abstract

Back surface recombination could have some adverse effects on superstrate antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) solar cells. Anode interface modification, such as inserting a buffer layer with appropriate energy-level matching, is necessary. Here, a novel interfacial material, pyrolytic ammonium metatungstate (PAMT), prepared by spray pyrolysis deposition, was introduced to modify the back contract of antimony selenide solar cells. Morpho-structural and thermal analysis showed that this material is different from crystalline molybdenum oxide powder. Monology characterization showed that PAMT preferentially fills the space of the Sb2Se3 grain boundary. The J–V test showed that this layer improved the interfacial contract between the absorber and the back electrode. The PAMT layer showed suitable energy matching with Sb2Se3, providing an effective channel for hole carriers transport from the absorber to the anode, and largely reducing back contact surface recombination. As a result, the PAMT-modified Sb2Se3 device exhibited a much higher photovoltaic performance, significantly improving the efficiency from 5.27% to 6.11%.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 62171069), the Program of Chongqing Science and Technology Commission (cstc2019jcyj-msxmX0877, cstc2019jscx-fxydX0048, cstc2019jcyjjqX0021), and the Scientific and Technological Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (KJZD-K201901302, KJQN201901348, KJCX2020048).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 402160, People’s Republic of China

    Zhen Zhang

  2. Research Institute for New Materials and Technology, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402160, People’s Republic of China

    Zhen Zhang, Lijuan Fu, Shun Yao, Jiang Cheng, Lu Li & Hua Tang

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  1. Zhen Zhang
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Correspondence to Jiang Cheng.

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Zhang, Z., Fu, L., Yao, S. et al. Improving the performance of Sb2Se3 thin-film solar cells using pyrolytic ammonium metatungstate back contact layer. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 137, 1209 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-022-03428-6

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