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Microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of tetragonal Cu2SnS3 nanoparticles for solar photovoltaics

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Abstract

A simple and rapid process for the synthesis of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) nanoparticles by microwave heating of metal–organic precursor solution is described. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirm the formation of tetragonal CTS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the presence of Cu, Sn, S in +1, +4, −2 oxidation states, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy divulges the formation of crystalline tetragonal CTS nanoparticles with sizes ranging 2–25 nm. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the 300–2,400 nm wavelength range suggests a band gap of 1.1 eV. Pellets of CTS nanoparticles show p-type conduction and the carrier transport in temperature range of 250–425 K is thermally activated with activation energy of 0.16 eV. Thin film solar cell (TFSC) with architecture: graphite/Cu2SnS3/ZnO/ITO/SLG is fabricated by drop-casting dispersion of CTS nanoparticles which delivered a power conversion efficiency of 0.135 % with open circuit voltage, short circuit current and fill factor of 220 mV, 1.54 mA cm−2, 0.40, respectively.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore, for funding under Collaborative Research Scheme (CSR-I/CRS-49/49).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dr. K. C. Patel Research and Development Centre, Charotar University of Science and Technology Changa, Anand District, 388421, Gujarat, India

    Devendra Tiwari & Tapas K. Chaudhuri

  2. University Grants Commission-Department of Atomic Energy Consortium for Scientific Research, Khandwa Road, Indore, 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India

    T. Shripathi, U. Deshpande & V. G. Sathe

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  1. Devendra Tiwari
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  2. Tapas K. Chaudhuri
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  3. T. Shripathi
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Correspondence to Tapas K. Chaudhuri.

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Tiwari, D., Chaudhuri, T.K., Shripathi, T. et al. Microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of tetragonal Cu2SnS3 nanoparticles for solar photovoltaics. Appl. Phys. A 117, 1139–1146 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-014-8484-2

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