A modeling study on utilizing SnS2 as the buffer layer of CZT(S, Se) solar cells

Maryam Haghighi; Mehran Minbashi; Nima Taghavinia; Dae Hwan Kim; Seyed Mohammad Mahdavi; Amirhossein Ahmadkhan Kordbacheh

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.010

A modeling study on utilizing SnS₂ as the buffer layer of CZT(S, Se) solar cells

Maryam Haghighi, Mehran Minbashi, Nima Taghavinia, Dae Hwan Kim, Seyed Mohammad Mahdavi, Amirhossein Ahmadkhan Kordbacheh

Division of Energy Techonology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

CdS is conventionally used as the n-type buffer layer in chalcopyrite (CIG(S, Se)) and Kesterite (CZT(S, Se)) solar cells. CdS is toxic and there are wide attempts to find substitutes for it. Here, we suggest SnS₂ as a possible alternative. SnS₂ films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), characterized to estimate carrier concentration and electron affinity values, and the obtained values were used to model a CZT(S, Se) solar cell. The experimental values of a benchmark CZT(S, Se) cell with efficiency of 12.3% were employed to obtain the density and energy position of defects in CZT(S, Se) and validating the model. We observed that SnS₂ results in almost identical performance as CdS, showing slightly better current density, due to smaller conduction band offset of 0.21 eV compared to 0.28 eV for CdS.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	165-171
Number of pages	7
Journal	Solar Energy
Volume	167
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.010
State	Published - Jun 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Buffer layer
CZT(S, Se) solar cell
Electron transport layer (ETL)
Pulsed laser deposition (PLD)
SCAPS software
SnS

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.010

Cite this

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title = "A modeling study on utilizing SnS2 as the buffer layer of CZT(S, Se) solar cells",

abstract = "CdS is conventionally used as the n-type buffer layer in chalcopyrite (CIG(S, Se)) and Kesterite (CZT(S, Se)) solar cells. CdS is toxic and there are wide attempts to find substitutes for it. Here, we suggest SnS2 as a possible alternative. SnS2 films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), characterized to estimate carrier concentration and electron affinity values, and the obtained values were used to model a CZT(S, Se) solar cell. The experimental values of a benchmark CZT(S, Se) cell with efficiency of 12.3% were employed to obtain the density and energy position of defects in CZT(S, Se) and validating the model. We observed that SnS2 results in almost identical performance as CdS, showing slightly better current density, due to smaller conduction band offset of 0.21 eV compared to 0.28 eV for CdS.",

keywords = "Buffer layer, CZT(S, Se) solar cell, Electron transport layer (ETL), Pulsed laser deposition (PLD), SCAPS software, SnS",

author = "Maryam Haghighi and Mehran Minbashi and Nima Taghavinia and Kim, {Dae Hwan} and Mahdavi, {Seyed Mohammad} and Kordbacheh, {Amirhossein Ahmadkhan}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2018",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.solener.2018.04.010",

language = "English",

volume = "167",

pages = "165--171",

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T1 - A modeling study on utilizing SnS2 as the buffer layer of CZT(S, Se) solar cells

AU - Haghighi, Maryam

AU - Minbashi, Mehran

AU - Taghavinia, Nima

AU - Kim, Dae Hwan

AU - Mahdavi, Seyed Mohammad

AU - Kordbacheh, Amirhossein Ahmadkhan

PY - 2018/6

Y1 - 2018/6

N2 - CdS is conventionally used as the n-type buffer layer in chalcopyrite (CIG(S, Se)) and Kesterite (CZT(S, Se)) solar cells. CdS is toxic and there are wide attempts to find substitutes for it. Here, we suggest SnS2 as a possible alternative. SnS2 films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), characterized to estimate carrier concentration and electron affinity values, and the obtained values were used to model a CZT(S, Se) solar cell. The experimental values of a benchmark CZT(S, Se) cell with efficiency of 12.3% were employed to obtain the density and energy position of defects in CZT(S, Se) and validating the model. We observed that SnS2 results in almost identical performance as CdS, showing slightly better current density, due to smaller conduction band offset of 0.21 eV compared to 0.28 eV for CdS.

AB - CdS is conventionally used as the n-type buffer layer in chalcopyrite (CIG(S, Se)) and Kesterite (CZT(S, Se)) solar cells. CdS is toxic and there are wide attempts to find substitutes for it. Here, we suggest SnS2 as a possible alternative. SnS2 films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), characterized to estimate carrier concentration and electron affinity values, and the obtained values were used to model a CZT(S, Se) solar cell. The experimental values of a benchmark CZT(S, Se) cell with efficiency of 12.3% were employed to obtain the density and energy position of defects in CZT(S, Se) and validating the model. We observed that SnS2 results in almost identical performance as CdS, showing slightly better current density, due to smaller conduction band offset of 0.21 eV compared to 0.28 eV for CdS.

KW - Buffer layer

KW - CZT(S, Se) solar cell

KW - Electron transport layer (ETL)

KW - Pulsed laser deposition (PLD)

KW - SCAPS software

KW - SnS

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