CuInS2 Solar Cells by Air-Stable Ink Rolling

Abstract

Solution-based deposition techniques are widely considered to be a route to low-cost, high-throughput photovoltaic device fabrication. In this report, we establish a methodology for a highly scalable deposition process and report the synthesis of an air-stable, vulcanized ink from commercially available precursors. Using our air-stable ink rolling (AIR) process, we can make solar cells with an absorber layer that is flat, contaminant-free, and composed of large-grained CuInS(2). The current-voltage characteristics of the devices were measured in the dark and under 100 mW/cm(2) illumination intensity, and the devices were found to have J(sc) = 18.49 mA/cm(2), V(oc) = 320 mV, FF = 0.37, and eta = 2.15%. This process has the ability to produce flat, contaminant-free, large-grained films similar to those produced by vacuum deposition, and its versatility should make it capable of producing a variety of materials for electronic, optoelectronic, and memory devices.