Structural Study of Cu-Deficient Cu2(1-x)ZnSnSe4Solar Cell Materials by X-ray Diffraction and X-ray Absorption Fine Structure

Abstract

Cu-poor Cu2(1-x)ZnSnSe4 powders were prepared from elemental powders. The crystal structure of Cu-poor Cu2(1-x)ZnSnSe4 was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analyses. Kesterite-type Cu2(1-x)ZnSnSe4 could be prepared in the range of 0≤x ≤0.0750. The lattice parameters were refined by the Rietveld analysis of X-ray diffraction data. The lattice constants a and c decreased with a decrease in the Cu/(Zn+Sn) ratio. However, there was little change in c/a value. On the other hand, the position of the Se atom (u parameters) changed considerably. The XAFS study showed that the local structure of Sn in Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) changed with a decrease in Cu/(Zn+Sn) ratio and the local structural changes in Cu, Zn, or Se could not be clearly observed. These local structural changes around Sn are due to the disordering of Cu, Zn, and Sn atoms. The diffuse reflectance spectra showed that the band gap of Cu2ZnSnSe4 is 0.98 eV and that the band gaps do not depend on Cu/(Zn+Sn) ratio in the range of 0≤x ≤0.0750.