Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of cation ratios and monoethanolamine on the morphology of solution processed Cu2ZnSnS4 films

  • Articles
  • Published:
MRS Advances Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thin films of Cu2ZnSnS4 have been synthesized through solution chemistry. The correlation between film morphology and the ratio of cations (copper, zinc and tin) and the amount of monoethanolamine (MEA) in solution has been investigated. The stoichiometric ratio of cations resulted in films comprised of fine grains (~165 nm) with large crystals (~ 1 – 2 µm) spread over its surface. The films corresponding to copper poor and zinc rich solutions were comprised of grains having uniform size (~300 nm). The addition of MEA to precursor solutions resulted in a significant drop of pinholes in the films, however, at the same time grain size decreases to 50 – 200 nm range depending on the amount of MEA present in the precursor solution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. W. Shin, S. M. Pawar, C. Y. Park, J. H. Yun, J. H. Moon, J. H. Kim, J. Y. Lee, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 95, 3202, (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. F. Liu, Y. Li, K. Zhang, B. Wang, C. Yan, Y. Lai, Z. Zhang, J. Li, Y. Liu, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 94, 2431, (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Wang, J. Ma, P. Liu, Y. Chen, R. Li, J. Gu, J. Lu, S. Yang, X. Gao, Mater. Lett. 77, 13, (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. S. K. Saha, A. Guchhait, A. J. Pal, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2, 8090, (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Z. Su, K. Sun, Z. Han, H. Cui, F. Liu, Y. Lai, J. Mater. Chem. A 2, 500, (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. S. K. Swami, A. Kumar, V. Dutta, Energy Procedia 33, 198, (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. K. Tanaka, M. Oonuki, N. Moritake, H. Uchiki, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 93, 583, (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. K. Tanaka, N. Moritake, H. Uchiki, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91, 1199, (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. C. W. Shih, Y. Y. Wang, C. C. Wan, J. Appl. Electrochem. 33, 403, (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Dimitrievska, A. Fairbrother, X. Fontané, T. Jawhari, V. Izquierdo-Roca, E. Saucedo, A. Pérez-Rodríguez, Appl. Phys. Lett. 104, 1, (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. P. K. Sarswat, M. L. Free, A. Tiwari, Phys. Status Solidi Basic Res. 248, 2170, (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. R. Mainz, B. C. Walker, S. S. Schmidt, O. Zander, A. Weber, H. Rodriguez-Alvarez, J. Just, M. Klaus, R. Agrawal, T. Unold, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 18281, (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Fairbrother, V. Izquierdo-Roca, X. Fontané, M. Ibáñez, A. Cabot, E. Saucedo, A. Pérez-Rodríguez, CrystEngComm 16, 4120, (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. A. Fairbrother, E. García-Hemme, V. Izquierdo-Roca, X. Fontané, F. A. Pulgarín-Agudelo, O. Vigil-Galán, A. Pérez-Rodríguez, E. Saucedo, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 8018, (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. A. Weber, R. Mainz, H. W. Schock, J. Appl. Phys.107, 013516, (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Y. Sun, Y. Zhang, H. Wang, M. Xie, K. Zong, H. Zheng, Y. Shu, J. Liu, H. Yan, M. Zhu, W. Lau, J. Mater. Chem. A 1, 6880, (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. G. M. Ilari, C. M. Fella, C. Ziegler, A. R. Uhl, Y. E. Romanyuk, A. N. Tiwari, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 104, 125, (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. V. T. Tiong, Y. Zhang, J. Bell, H. Wang, Rsc Adv. 5, 20178, (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kumar, J., Ingole, S. Effect of cation ratios and monoethanolamine on the morphology of solution processed Cu2ZnSnS4 films. MRS Advances 4, 945–951 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2019.173

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2019.173

Navigation