Improving the performance of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film solar cell by engineering the ITO film thickness

Abstract

In this work, the effects of tin doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films with different thicknesses (50 nm–476 nm) on the optoelectronic performance were investigated. Meanwhile, the sputtered ITO layers were annealed at 180 °C for 60min under air atmosphere. The result indicated that the electro-optical properties of ITO films with the thickness (383 nm) were optimum, and the corresponding resistivity and average reflectance in the spectrum range (350–860 nm) were 4.73 × 10−4 Ω cm and lower than 20%, respectively. Finally, impacts of ITO layers with various thicknesses on the performance of CZTS solar cells were also studied. The open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CZTS solar cells had been increased significantly from 576 mV to 636 mV, from 15.8 mA/cm2 to 20.2 mA/cm2, from 31.2% to 43.4% and from 3.04% to 5.56%, respectively, and eventually the highest PCE of CZTS solar cell based on 383 nm ITO window layer thickness was 5.56%.