Enhanced photoconversion efficiency of Cu2MnSnS4 solar cells by Sn-/Zn-based oxides and chalcogenides buffer and electron transport layers

Abstract

Copper Manganese Tin Sulfide, Cu2MnSnS4 (CMTS), has emerged as a potential candidate for cost-competitive, eco-friendly single- or multiple p-n junction kesterite quaternary photovoltaics (PVs) due to its distinct optical and electrical properties, with earth-abundant as well as non-toxic constituents. In this article, Cu2MnSnS4 absorber-based heterostructures with ZnMgO, WS2, SnO2, CdS electron transport (window) and SnS2, ZnSe, ZnSnO, Zn(O,S) buffer layers have been investigated by executing a systematic study and proposing the mostly efficient device structures containing the favourable band alignment using the SCAPS-1D simulator. Initially, an effective buffer and electron transport (window) layers have been optimized from Al:ZnO/window (ZnMgO, WS2, SnS2, or CdS)/buffer (SnS2, ZnSe, ZnSnO, Zn(O,S))/Cu2MnSnS4/Pt structures. Subsequently, the impact of different properties of each active layer of optimized structures, such as bandgap, layer thickness, carrier concentration, bulk and interface defect densities, and working temperature, was determined by measuring PV parameters and corresponding quantum efficiency. The present study exhibited the maximum photocurrent, JSC of 23.69 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage, VOC of 1.236 V, fill factor, FF of 85.49% and photoconversion efficiency, PCE of 25.03% with optimized SLG/Mo/Cu2MnSnS4/SnS2/ZnMgO/ZnO:Al/Pt structure under AM1.5G irradiation. Furthermore, a detailed comparison among recent studies has been carried out to demonstrate the significance of the proposed structure, challenges, and future prospects. Thus, obtained results pave significant resources and emancipate a new pathway to fabricate enviro-benign, cost-competitive, high-efficiency CMTS-thin film photovoltaics.