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Microwave-Processed Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) Inks for Coatings in Solar Cells

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Advanced Ceramic and Metallic Coating and Thin Film Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications

Abstract

Thin films solar cells (TFSCs) coated from different types of inks have yielded best efficiencies from 8 to ~13 %. This review depicts a specific group of non-vacuum methods for depositing kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cell absorber, which we characterized as direct ink coating (DIC) technique. The main objective of this chapter is to review the CZTS inks prepared by microwave process technique. A number of techniques including, hot injection method, solvo-thermal process, sonochemical and microwave-assisted route have been employed to synthesized CZTS ink. However, microwave is a rapid and single step process which has the potential to yield high-quality CZTS nanoparticle ink within minutes. CZTS films have been coated with different structures using such inks. Different properties of CZTS films such as, structural, compositional, optical, electrical and photovoltaic have also been reviewed. The properties of the TFSCs are discussed in the context of the processing techniques resulting in complete devices.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the President and Provost of Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa, Anand, Gujarat, India, for providing research facilities. Helpful discussion from Dr. Maykel Courel, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico, is highly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Marwadi University, Rajkot-Morbi Highway, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India

    Prashant R. Ghediya

  2. Department of Applied Physics, S. V. National Institute of Technology, Surat, 395007, India

    Tapas K. Chaudhuri

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  1. Prashant R. Ghediya
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Correspondence to Prashant R. Ghediya .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

    Jing Zhang

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changwon National University , Changwon, Gyeongnam, Korea (Republic of)

    Yeon-Gil Jung

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Ghediya, P.R., Chaudhuri, T.K. (2018). Microwave-Processed Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) Inks for Coatings in Solar Cells. In: Zhang, J., Jung, YG. (eds) Advanced Ceramic and Metallic Coating and Thin Film Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59906-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59906-9_5

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