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Application of facile solution-processed ternary sulfide Ag8SnS6 as light absorber in thin film solar cells

温和溶液法制备三元硫化物Ag8SnS6作为吸光材料在薄膜太阳电池中的应用

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Abstract

Light absorber is critical to the further applications of thin film solar cells. Here, we report a facile solution-processed method with an annealing temperature below 250°C to fabricate Ag8SnS6 (ATS) light absorber for thin film solar cells. After optimization, the ATS-based thin film solar cells exhibited a reproducible power conversion efficiency (PCE) of about 0.25% and an outstanding long-term stability with 90% of the initial PCE retained after a more than 1,000 h degradation test. This research revealed the potential application of ATS as an earth-abundant, low toxic and chemically stable light absorber in thin film solar cells.

摘要

吸光材料是薄膜太阳电池进一步应用的重要因素. 三元硫化物Ag8SnS6 (ATS)拥有诸多优秀的光电性质. 然而, 关于ATS在吸光材料方面的应用鲜有报道. 因此, 本文通过使用一种退火温度低于250°C的温和溶液法制备ATS吸光材料并将其应用于薄膜太阳电池之中. 在优化之后, 基于ATS的薄膜太阳电池展现出了具有潜力的光伏性能以及可再现的0.25%光电转化效率. 更重要的是, 基于ATS的器件展现出了卓越的长期稳定性, 在超过1000小时的老化测试后器件仍然还有90%的初始效率. 本研究不仅揭示了含量丰富、 低毒且化学性质稳定的ATS作为吸光材料的潜力, 也为薄膜太阳电池中新型吸光材料的研究提供了全新的视角.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2015AA050602), the Project of Science and Technology Service (STS) Network Initiative, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KFJ-SW-STS-152).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic and Energy Conservation Materials, Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China

    Liangzheng Zhu  (朱梁正), Yafeng Xu  (徐亚峰), Haiying Zheng  (郑海英), Guozhen Liu  (刘国震), Xiaoxiao Xu  (徐笑笑) & Xu Pan  (潘旭)

  2. University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Liangzheng Zhu  (朱梁正), Yafeng Xu  (徐亚峰), Haiying Zheng  (郑海英), Guozhen Liu  (刘国震) & Xiaoxiao Xu  (徐笑笑)

  3. State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Songyuan Dai  (戴松元)

Authors
  1. Liangzheng Zhu  (朱梁正)
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  2. Yafeng Xu  (徐亚峰)
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  3. Haiying Zheng  (郑海英)
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  4. Guozhen Liu  (刘国震)
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  5. Xiaoxiao Xu  (徐笑笑)
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  6. Xu Pan  (潘旭)
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  7. Songyuan Dai  (戴松元)
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xu Pan  (潘旭) or Songyuan Dai  (戴松元).

Additional information

Liangzheng Zhu received his Bachelor degree from the East China University of Science and Technology in 2012. He is currently pursuing his PhD degree in the University of Science and Technology of China. His research interests mainly focus on thin film solar cells.

Xu Pan received his PhD degree from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2007. He joined Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences and was promoted to full professor in 2013. Now his research interests focus on the new generation solar cells, including dye-sensitized solar cells and perovskite solar cells, etc.

Songyuan Dai is a professor and Dean of the School of Renewable Energy, North China Electric Power University. He obtained his BSc degree in physics from Anhui Normal University in 1987, and MSc and PhD degrees in plasma physics from the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991 and 2001. His research interests mainly focus on next-generation solar cells including dye-sensitized solar cells, quantum dot solar cells, perovskite solar cells, etc.

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Zhu, L., Xu, Y., Zheng, H. et al. Application of facile solution-processed ternary sulfide Ag8SnS6 as light absorber in thin film solar cells. Sci. China Mater. 61, 1549–1556 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-018-9272-3

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