Synthesis and physical properties of low cost, non toxic, earth abundant p-type CuInS2 thin film as absorber layer for photovoltaic application

ABSTRACTIn this paper the effect of Si1-xGex absorber layer thickness on thin film a-Si:H/crystalline-Si1-xGex/c-Si heterojunction solar cells (HIT cells) is studied by simulation and experiment. Cells with 1, 2 and 4 μm-thick epitaxial cap layers of p-type Si0.59Ge0.41 on top of 5 μm Si1-xGex graded buffer layers are fabricated and compared to study the effect of the absorber layer thickness. The results show no change in Voc (0.41V) and that Jsc increases from 17.2 to 18.1 mA/cm2 when the Si0.59Ge0.41 absorber layer thickness is increased from 1 to 4 μm. The effect of thickness on Jsc is also observed for 2 and 4 μm-thick Si and Si0.75Ge0.25 absorber layers. Experiments and simulations show that larger Ge fractions result in a higher magnitude and smaller thickness dependence of Jsc, due to the larger absorption coefficient that increases optical carrier generation in the near surface region for larger Ge contents.

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High Performance P-Type Perovskite Lagao3 Thin Film Field Effect Transistor Prepared by Solution-Processed

Journal of Physics Conference Series ◽

10.1088/1742-6596/2152/1/012008 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 2152 (1) ◽

pp. 012008

Author(s):

Qian Chen

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

High Performance ◽

Low Cost ◽

Thin Film Transistor ◽

Solution Process ◽

Hole Mobility ◽

Oxide Semiconductor ◽

Future Design ◽

Different Temperatures ◽

P Type

Abstract Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) is essential to compose high-performance electronic devices, however, the investigation on p-type MOS is relatively rare compared with its n-type counterpart. In this work, LaGaO3 thin films with superior p-type conductivity have been prepared via a facile solution process. Moreover, we have implemented Al2O3 and SiO2 as the dielectric of the p-channel LaGaO3 thin film transistors (TFTs) annealed at different temperatures. Particularly, the LaGaO3/Al2O3 TFTs annealed at 700 °C exhibit an ultrahigh hole mobility of 12.4 cm2V-1s-1, Under the same conditions, LaGaO3/Al2O3 thin film transistor is two orders of magnitude higher than LaGaO3/SiO2 thin film transistor. The advanced p-type characteristics of the LaGaO3 thin film, along with its facile low-cost fabrication process can shed new light on future design of high-performance complementary MOS circuit with other optimized facile-integrated dielectrics.

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Atomistic insights into the order–disorder transition in Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells from Monte Carlo simulations

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/c8ta04812f ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 312-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Suzanne K. Wallace ◽

Jarvist Moore Frost ◽

Aron Walsh

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Monte Carlo ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Monte Carlo Simulations ◽

Absorber Layer ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Disorder Transition ◽

Earth Abundant

Kesterite-structured Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is an earth-abundant and non-toxic semiconductor that is being studied for use as the absorber layer in thin-film solar cells.

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In situ growth of SnS absorbing layer by reactive sputtering for thin film solar cells

RSC Advances ◽

10.1039/c5ra24144h ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 4108-4115 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Lianbo Zhao ◽

Yunxiang Di ◽

Chang Yan ◽

Fangyang Liu ◽

Zhu Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Single Phase ◽

Low Cost ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

In Situ Growth ◽

Promising Candidate ◽

Earth Abundant ◽

Absorbing Layer ◽

Material Preparation

The semiconductor SnS is a promising candidate for low cost earth-abundant photovoltaic absorbing layers and presents some interesting challenges in single phase material preparation.

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Numerical Insights into the Influence of Electrical Properties of n-CdS Buffer Layer on the Performance of SLG/Mo/p-Absorber/n-CdS/n-ZnO/Ag Configured Thin Film Photovoltaic Devices

Coatings ◽

10.3390/coatings11010052 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 52

Author(s):

Asmaa Soheil Najm ◽

Puvaneswaran Chelvanathan ◽

Sieh Kiong Tiong ◽

Mohammad Tanvirul Ferdaous ◽

Seyed Ahmad Shahahmadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Electrical Properties ◽

Band Gap ◽

Carrier Concentration ◽

Buffer Layer ◽

Carrier Mobility ◽

Absorber Layer ◽

Photovoltaic Devices ◽

Wide Range ◽

P Type

A CdS thin film buffer layer has been widely used as conventional n-type heterojunction partner both in established and emerging thin film photovoltaic devices. In this study, we perform numerical simulation to elucidate the influence of electrical properties of the CdS buffer layer, essentially in terms of carrier mobility and carrier concentration on the performance of SLG/Mo/p-Absorber/n-CdS/n-ZnO/Ag configured thin film photovoltaic devices, by using the Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS-1D). A wide range of p-type absorber layers with a band gap from 0.9 to 1.7 eV and electron affinity from 3.7 to 4.7 eV have been considered in this simulation study. For an ideal absorber layer (no defect), the carrier mobility and carrier concentration of CdS buffer layer do not significantly alter the maximum attainable efficiency. Generally, it was revealed that for an absorber layer with a conduction band offset (CBO) that is more than 0.3 eV, Jsc is strongly dependent on the carrier mobility and carrier concentration of the CdS buffer layer, whereas Voc is predominantly dependent on the back contact barrier height. However, as the bulk defect density of the absorber layer is increased from 1014 to 1018 cm−3, a CdS buffer layer with higher carrier mobility and carrier concentration is an imperative requirement to a yield device with higher conversion efficiency and a larger band gap-CBO window for realization of a functional device. Most tellingly, simulation outcomes from this study reveal that electrical properties of the CdS buffer layer play a decisive role in determining the progress of emerging p-type photo-absorber layer materials, particularly during the embryonic device development stage.

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Fabrication of the Cu2ZnSnS4 Thin Film Solar Cell via a Photo-Sintering Technique

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app12010038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 38

Author(s):

Vu Minh Han Cao ◽

Jaesung Bae ◽

Joongpyo Shim ◽

Byungyou Hong ◽

Hongsub Jee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Low Cost ◽

Secondary Phase ◽

Band Gap Energy ◽

Absorber Layer ◽

Solar Cell Performance ◽

X Ray ◽

Electron Microscopes

Alternative photo-sintering techniques for thermal annealing processes are used to improve the morphology, layer properties, and enhance solar cell performance. The fast, nontoxic, low cost, and environmentally friendly characteristics of Cu2ZnSnS4 have led to its consideration as an alternative potential absorber layer in copper indium gallium diselenide thin film solar cells. This work investigates the photo-sintering process for the absorber layer of Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cells. A Cu2ZnSnS4 layer was grown by hot-injection and screen-printing techniques, and the characteristics of the photo-sintered Cu2ZnSnS4 layer were evaluated by X-ray Diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopes. Overall, the optimal composition was Cu-poor and Zn-rich, without a secondary phase, estimated optical band-gap energy of approximately 1.6 eV, and enhanced morphology and kesterite crystallization. Using an intensity pulse light technique to the CZTS layer, fabrication of the solar cell device demonstrated successfully, and the efficiency of 1.01% was achieved at 2.96 J/cm2.

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