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Effect of the intermediate sulfide layer on the Cu2ZnSnS4-based solar cells

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Abstract

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin-film solar cells were fabricated using Cu/Sn/Zn and Cu/SnS/Zn precursors. The precursors were prepared using a magnetron-sputtering system with subsequent annealing (sulfurization) in a sulfur atmosphere. Sulfurization was carried out at 580 °C for 1 h in an H2S/N2 environment at atmospheric pressure. The growth behavior of CZTS thin films with different precursors during sulfurization was investigated and their properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The CZTS thin film sulfurized using the Cu/Sn/Zn metallic precursor exhibited inhomogeneous growth with detrimental secondary phases, including Cu2S and ZnS, resulting in significant degradation in Voc, Jsc and FF. In contrast, the CZTS thin film formed using a Cu/SnS/Zn precursor showed uniform growth without secondary phases on the surface and 4.1% power conversion efficiency, which was greater than that of the solar cell formed with the metallic precursor.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the “Human Resources Program in Energy Technology” of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), with financial resource granted from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea (No. 20154030200870). This work was also supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-2012M3A7B4049986).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT) and Center for Human Interface Nano Technology (HINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea

    Seong Man Yu, Kwang-Soo Lim, Dong-Wook Shin & Ji-Beom Yoo

  2. School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea

    Ji-Beom Yoo

  3. School of Mechanical and ICT Convergence Engineering, Sun Moon University, Kalson-ri, Tangjeong-myeon, Asan, 31460, Republic of Korea

    Tae-Sik Oh

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  1. Seong Man Yu
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Correspondence to Ji-Beom Yoo.

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Yu, S.M., Lim, KS., Shin, DW. et al. Effect of the intermediate sulfide layer on the Cu2ZnSnS4-based solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 28, 5696–5702 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-6241-3

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