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Tailoring the Back Contact Properties of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Thin Film with Mo-Foil by Introducing a Transparent CuCrO2 Buffer Layer

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Abstract

Chalcogenide Cu2ZnSn(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 CuCrO2 layer on a Mo-foil substrate before the deposition of the CZTSSe. The effects of CuCrO2 thickness on the crystalline structures, morphologies, and electrical properties of the fabricated samples were studied. The results showed that the insertion of the CuCrO2 layer prevented the formation of Mo(S,Se)2. As the thickness of the CuCrO2 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 CuCrO2 thickness exceeded 85 nm. The back contact resistance of CZTSSe decreased monotonously as the CuCrO2 layer thickened due to the reduction in the Mo(S,Se)2 layer thickness. Therefore, by inserting a CuCrO2 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.

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  1. School of Integrated Circuits, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Jiaxiong Xu

  2. School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xiaoshuai Wu

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  1. Jiaxiong Xu
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Xu, J., Wu, X. Tailoring the Back Contact Properties of Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Thin Film with Mo-Foil by Introducing a Transparent CuCrO2 Buffer Layer. J. Electron. Mater. 52, 5422–5429 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-023-10491-x

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