A modeling study on utilizing low temperature sprayed In2S3 as the buffer layer of CuBaSn(S, Se) solar cells

Maryam Hashemi,Mehran Minbashi,Arash Ghobadi,Seyed Mohammad Bagher Ghorashi

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99012-6

Maryam Hashemi, Mehran Minbashi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99012-6

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Abstract

This study represents the investigation of In2S3 thin films as an electron transport layer in the CuBaSn(S, Se)-CBT(S, Se) solar cells, which have been deposited using the Chemical Spray Pyrolysis method. For studying the electrical properties of films such as conduction and valence band, carrier densities, Fermi level, flat band potential, and semiconductor type, the Mott–Schottky analysis has been used. UV–VIS, XRD, and FESEM have been applied to investigate the optical properties of the layers and the layer’s morphologies. The experimental CBT(S, Se) solar cell has been simulated and validated as the next step. After that, the In2S3 layer has been used as the electron transport layer. The results represent that the In2S3 layer is a suitable substitution for toxic CdS. Finally, the In2S3 properties are varied in reasonable ranges, which means different electron transport layers are screened.

Highlights

Urbanization and rapid growth in industrialization extensively bring significant increments in environmental pollution and global warming, which are vital issues alongside the energy crisis that oblige scientists to seek a suitable alternative energy source to rescue the earth and the environment
Despite the major methods done to improve the overall performance of solar cells, utilizing a suitable n-type electron transport layer creates a way to enhance the electrical characteristics of the cell, especially the opencircuit voltage (VOC), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and fill factor (FF) (%) as well as the cell efficiency
The usual transparent conductive electrode with a compact blocking structure used as the front contact in CBT (S, Se) solar cells is the indium tin oxide (ITO)

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization and rapid growth in industrialization extensively bring significant increments in environmental pollution and global warming, which are vital issues alongside the energy crisis that oblige scientists to seek a suitable alternative energy source to rescue the earth and the environment. Global efforts have been devoted to select (1) non-toxic, (2) air-stabile, and (3) environmentally friendly earth-abundant compositions to manufacture highly efficient thin-film solar c ells[13,14,15,16,17]. Eco-friendly and non-toxic material with a direct bandgap (~ 2 eV), high absorption coefficient (> 1 04 cm−1), p type conductivity, and appropriate defect properties could gain a prominent position in the world of chalcogen-based PV devices, which motivate scientists to put more effort to investigate t hem[14,29,30,31,32]. The band alignment at the interface of the absorber/buffer drastically affects cell parameters. That an electron transport layer with an optimal conduction band offset (CBO) reduces the V OC deficit, which directly affects the device performance[33,34,35]

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