Average External Quantum Efficiency Research Articles

Efficient Perovskite Nanograin Light-Emitting Diodes in Green-to-Blue Gamut with Co-Additive Engineering.

Perovskite nanograins exceeding the Bohr exciton diameter show great potential for high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs) owing to their bandgap homogeneity, spatial charge confinement, and nonlocal interaction. However, it is challenging to directly synthesize proper nanograins along with reduced crystal defects on functional substrate, and the corresponding high-efficiency perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) have rarely been reported. In this study, crystallization modulation for perovskites with an effective co-additive system, including lithium bromide, p-fluorophenethylammonium bromide, and 18-crown-6, is performed. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed co-additive system can synergistically retard perovskite crystallization and reduce crystal defects. Consequently, high-quality perovskite nanograin solids (≈22.8nm) are obtained with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (≈88%). These superior optical properties contribute to developing efficient green PeLEDs with a champion external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 28.4% and an average EQE of 27.1%. The co-additive system can be universally applied to mixed-halide perovskite nanograin LED, presenting a maximum EQE of 24.4%, 21.6%, 17.5%, and 11.1% for the blue device at 496, 488, 478, and 472nm, respectively, along with a narrow spectral linewidth (17-14nm) and stable color. These results supplement the research on high-efficiency perovskite nanograin LEDs for multicolor displays and lighting.

Spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene]-based hole transporting materials modulated by mono- and bis- benzodioxino[2,3-b]pyrazine pendant groups for perovskite QLEDs

In this work, we designed and synthesized two new hole-transporting materials with a nonplanar three-dimensional (3D) conformation. They were achieved by incorporating spiro[fluorene-9,9′-xanthene] as a cross-shaped configuration scaffold and adding either mono- (H1) or bis- benzodioxino[2,3-b]pyrazine (H2) pyrazine as pendant groups. Both compounds exhibit remarkable thermal stability, with thermal decomposition temperature (Td) of 462 (H1) and 504 °C (H2), respectively. Moreover, the structural substitution with benzodioxino[2,3-b]pyrazine units successfully aligned the energy levels of both materials with the perovskite quantum dot luminescence layer. Hereby, the fabricated perovskite QLEDs using H1 as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) featured an excellent average external quantum efficiency (EQE) of up to 9.5% with a maximum luminance of 22368 cd m−2, which is much higher than that of the H2-based devices with an EQE of 6.6% under the same conditions. The excellent device performance from H1 can be attributed to its asymmetric structure by the introduction of monosubstituted benzodioxino[2,3-b]pyrazine groups, as evidenced by its high hole mobility of 1.90 × 10−4 cm2 V−1 s−1 and improved interface interaction with adjunct layers. Thus, this design approach may bring a fresh perspective to the utilization of solution-processable small-molecule HTMs in high-performance Pe-QLEDs and other optoelectronics in the future.

Organic inorganic hybrid solar cell with photoactive hole transporting CuSbS2 nanoflakes

An easy-to-process, low-cost and environmentally benign organic inorganic hybrid solar cell (HSC) based on textured silicon (t-Si) is fabricated. The heterojunction solid state cell is composed of n-type t-Si having a micro-pyramidal surface with good anti-reflection properties, coated with a p-type layer of CuSbS2 nanoflakes dispersed in a polymer matrix of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The large hole density (2.7 × 1015 /cm3), high photoconductivity (5.37 mS cm−1), mono-dispersity of nanoflakes (50–80 nm), increased recombination resistance and a broad band absorption, with a band gap of ∼ 0.85 eV render CuSbS2 nanoflakes to be an ideal photo-absorber cum hole transport material for a highly scalable all solid-state HSC. Besides these attributes, the thermodynamically aligned energy levels of t-Si and CuSbS2 nanoflakes enable one-directional pathways for transfer and transport of electrons and holes to their respective contacts, yielding a high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.5 % under AM 1.5, 1 sun irradiance along with an average external quantum efficiency of 60 % superior by 39.2 % relative to its analogue devoid of CuSbS2. The effect of alkali texturization on the photovoltaic performance of the cells is also delineated by comparison with planar (pl)-Si based cells. The long-term stability of the In-Ga/t-Si/PEDOT:PSS + CuSbS2/Ag cell under intermittent illumination and storage over eight weeks confirmed from the nominal drop in PCE by ∼ 22 % demonstrates the efficacy of this affordable wet-chemistry approach for developing robust Si based HSC contrasting with the classical and expensive inorganic p-n junction crystalline Si solar cell.

Optoelectronic Effects of Copper-Indium-Gallium-Sulfur (CIGS2)-Solar Cells Prepared by Three-Stage Co-Evaporation Process Technology.

In this paper, the performance of Cu-(In,Ga)-S2 (CIGS2) solar cells with adjusting composite [Cu]/([Ga] + [In]) (CGI)-ratio absorber was explored and compared through an improved three-stage co-evaporation technique. For co-evaporating CIGS2 absorber as a less toxic alternative to Cd-containing film, we analyzed the effect of the CGI-ratio stoichiometry and crystallinity, and explored its opto-electric sensing characteristic of individual solar cell. The results of this research signified the potential of high-performance CIGS2-absorption solar cells for photovoltaic (PV)-module industrial applications. For the optimal CIGS2-absorption film (CGI = 0.95), the Raman main-phase signal (A1) falls at 291 cm-1, which was excited by the 532 nm line of Ar+-laser. Using photo-luminescence (PL) spectroscopy, the corresponding main-peak bandgaps measured was 1.59 eV at the same CGI-ratio film. Meanwhile, the best conversion efficiency (η = 3.212%) and the average external quantum efficiency (EQE = 51.1% in the visible-wavelength region) of photo-electric properties were achieved for the developed CIGS2-solar cells (CGI = 0.95). The discoveries of this CIGS2-absorption PV research provided a new scientific understanding of solar cells. Moreover, this research undeniably contributes to a major advancement towards practical PV-module applications and can help more to build an eco-friendly community.

MgF2 as an interlayer to enhance the stability of thermally activated delayed fluorescence based organic electroluminescence devices

Stability is one of the major challenges in organic semiconductor based optoelectronic devices. A comparative study of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) based organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with alkali-halide lithium fluoride (LiF) vs alkaline halide magnesium fluoride (MgF2) inorganic electron injection interlayers is presented. A TADF emitter 4CzIPN doped in CBP is used as an active layer (thickness = 15 nm @6wt. % doping) in an OLED structure: Glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/NPD/CBP/CBP:4CzIPN/TPBi/interlayer/Al. Prior to this comparative study, a separate exercise is carried out to obtain an optimal thickness of an MgF2 interlayer on the basis of leakage current and efficiency in the TADF-OLEDs. OLEDs with an LiF interlayer showed an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 19.7% in comparison with an MgF2 interlayer-based OLED showed slightly lower average EQE ∼19.1% at a luminance level of 100 cd/m2; these efficiency numbers are averaged over ∼60 OLEDs. These slight changes in EQE are supported by the relative photoluminescence quantum yield measurements with a whole device stack. However, alkaline halide MgF2 based TADF-OLEDs showed approximately seven-fold enhancement in the stability (LT60) under identical operating conditions. In situ photoluminescence monitoring of operational TADF-OLEDs confirmed that the probable cause of reduced lifetime is degradation of an LiF/TPBi interface.

Photovoltaic high-performance broadband photodetector based on the heterojunction of MoS2/silicon nanopillar arrays

Two-dimensional MoS2 has shown great potential in the photoelectric field because of its excellent optical and electrical properties. However, the performance of MoS2-based planar photodetector is constrained by the short transmission path and limited light absorption capacity of the planar thin layer of MoS2. In this paper, highly sensitive MoS2/silicon nanopillar arrays(Si-NPAs) photodetector by coating the surface of silicon nanotrap light array with MoS2. The interaction between light waves and silicon nanopillars and MoS2 is significantly enhanced by the Fabry-Pérot-enhanced Mie resonance between pillars as well as the multiple reflection. In the meantime, a Van der Waals heterojunction is constructed between the MoS2 and Si-NPAs coated across a large area. This is beneficial to address the poor performance of traditional two-dimensional photodetectors in light absorption and prevent the surface recombination of silicon-based photodetectors. According to the research results,the detector has 4.15 × 102 excellent rectification characteristics and 1.93 × 103 high switch ratio, and the photovoltaic effect is significant. The average external quantum efficiency of MoS2/Si-NPAs photodetector is 61.2% in the visible and near infrared bands, which is twice that of MoS2/planar silicon photodetector. At 850 nm, the responsiveness of the MoS2/Si NPAs photodetector is 0.48 A/W. the detection rate reaches 1.058 × 1012cm·Hz 1/2 W−1, which is 10.7 times higher than that of MoS2/planar silicon photodetector. To sum up, this study contributes a fresh idea to the design and application of high-performance devices.

Separating Crystal Growth from Nucleation Enables the in-situ-controllable Synthesis of Nanocrystals for Efficient Perovskite Light-emitting Diodes.

Colloidal perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) display bright luminescence for light-emitting diode (LED) applications; however, they require post-synthesis ligand exchange that may cause surface degradation and defect formation. In-situ-formed PNCs achieve improved surface passivation using a straightforward synthetic approach, but their LED performance in the green wavelength is not yet comparable with that of colloidal PNC devices. Here we find that the limitations of in-situ-formed PNCs stem from uncontrolled formation kinetics: conventional surface ligands confine perovskite nuclei but fail to delay crystal growth. We introduce a bifunctional carboxylic-acid-containing ammonium hydrobromide ligand that separates crystal growth from nucleation, leading to the formation of quantum-confined PNC solids exhibiting a narrow size distribution. Controlled crystallization is further coupled with defect passivation using deprotonated phosphinates, enabling improvements in photoluminescence quantum yield to near unity. We fabricate green LEDs with a maximum current efficiency of 109cd A-1 and average external quantum efficiency of 22.5% across 25 devices - exceeding the performance of colloidal PNC-based counterparts; We further document a 45.6-hour operating half-time for an unencapsulated device in N2 with an initial brightness of 100cd m-2 . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Efficient sky-blue cesium lead bromide light-emitting diodes with enhanced stability via synergistic interfacial induction and polymer scaffold inhibition

All inorganic CsPbX3 perovskite has aroused broad interests in building efficient light-emitting devices with wide color gamut and flexible fabrication process. So far, the realization of high-performance blue perovskite light-emitting devices (PeLEDs) is still a critical challenge. Herein, we propose an interfacial induction strategy to generate low-dimensional CsPbBr3 with sky blue emission by employing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) modified poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The interaction between GABA and Pb2+ inhibited the formation of bulk CsPbBr3 phase. Further assisted by the polymer networks, the sky-blue CsPbBr3 film exhibited much improved stability under both photoluminescence and electrical excitation. This can be ascribed to the scaffold effect and the passivation function of the polymer. Consequently, the obtained sky-blue PeLEDs exhibited an average external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.67% (maximum of 7.21%) with a maximum brightness of 3308 cd/m2 and a working lifespan reaching 0.41 h. The strategy in this work provides a new opportunity for exploitation the full potential of blue PeLEDs towards application in lighting and display devices.

Composition, additive, and process engineering of halide perovskite green photodetector for enhanced responsivity and detectivity

Si-based materials have been successfully adapted for photodiode (PD) sensing applications. However, their micrometer-scale thickness requirement and parasitic light absorption limit color discrimination. In this study, we developed halide-perovskite-based thin films through composition engineering and process optimization for green-light sensing with high detectivity and responsivity. First, composition engineering studies, i.e., ratio control of methylammonium (MA) and formamidinium (FA) precursors and subsequent annealing condition optimization, were conducted to control the bandgap and phase formation of green-targeted perovskite absorber films. Next, we studied the effect of the CH3NH3Cl (MACl) additive on reducing the dark current and enhancing phase stability. Notably, space-charge-limited current measurements revealed that MACl could effectively reduce the trap density. Furthermore, simultaneous optimization of the cationic site composition, annealing conditions, and additive significantly affected the perovskite film morphology, phase stability, and defect formation, enabling the fabrication of high-performance green PDs. Our optimized, green-targeted PD exhibits a superior responsivity of 55.24 A·W−1 (under 7.17 × 10−7 W·cm−2 excitation), an average external quantum efficiency of 86%, and a high on/off ratio, thereby providing a feasible approach for future PD commercialization.

High-performance self-powered color filter-free blue photodetector based on wide-bandgap halide perovskites

Blue photodetectors (PDs) are attracting great attention for various applications. Commercial blue PDs based on inorganic GaP or InGaN absorbers are limited by their expensive, complex, and high-temperature fabrication techniques. Organic absorber-based blue PDs still have much lower photodetecting properties than inorganic blue PDs. In this study, a high-performance self-powered blue PD is developed using methylammonium lead halide (MAPbX3; X = I, Br, and Cl) perovskites based on the economic and facile solution process at low temperatures. Optimal composition is obtained through halide-composition engineering. Our best-performing device exhibits an average external quantum efficiency and an average detectivity of 42.7% and 8.65 × 1011 Jones, respectively, within the blue region. The peak responsivity of the proposed PD is 0.174 A W−1 at 455 nm, which is comparable to that of commercial gallium phosphide blue PD (0.180 A W−1 at 470 nm). Moreover, the proposed device exhibits excellent environmental stability under ambient air conditions. These findings will act as a basis for next-generation image sensor technologies, such as vertically stacked red/green/blue PDs.

A Wide Bandgap Halide Perovskite Based Self-Powered Blue Photodetector with 84.9% of External Quantum Efficiency.

A self-powered, color-filter-free blue photodetector (PD) based on halide perovskites is reported. A high external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 84.9%, which is the highest reported EQE in blue PDs, is achieved by engineering the A-site monovalent cations of wide-bandgap perovskites. The optimized composition of formamidinium (FA)/methylammonium (MA) increases the heat of formation, yielding a uniform and smooth film. The incorporation of Cs+ ions into the FA/MA composition suppresses the trap density and increases charge-carrier mobility, yielding the highest average EQE of 77.4%, responsivity of 0.280AW-1 , and detectivity of 5.08 × 1012 Jones under blue light. Furthermore, Cs+ improves durability under repetitive operations and ambient atmosphere. The proposed device exhibits peak responsivity of 0.307AW-1 , which is higher than that of the commercial InGaN-based blue PD (0.289AW-1 ). This study will promote the development of next-generation image sensors with vertically stacked perovskite PDs.

Facilely Achieved Self-Biased Black Silicon Heterojunction Photodiode with Broadband Quantum Efficiency Approaching 100.

Photodiodes are fundamental components in modern optoelectronics. Heterojunction photodiodes, simply configured by two different contact materials, have been a hot research topic for many years. Currently reported self-biased heterojunction photodiodes routinely have external quantum efficiency (EQE) significantly below 100% due to optical and electrical losses. Herein, an approach that virtually overcomes this 100% EQE challenge via low-aspect-ratio nanostructures and drift-dominated photocarrier transport in a heterojunction photodiode is proposed. Broadband near-ideal EQE is achieved in nanocrystal indium tin oxide/black silicon (nc-ITO/b-Si) Schottky photodiodes. The b-Si comprises nanostalagmites which balance the antireflection effect and surface morphology. The built-in electric field is explored to match the optical generation profile, realizing enhanced photocarrier transport over a broadband of photogeneration. The devices exhibit unprecedented EQE among the reported leading-edge heterojunction photodiodes: average EQE surpasses ≈98% for wavelengths of 570-925nm, while overall EQE is greater than ≈95% from 500 to 960nm. Further, only elementary fabrication techniques are explored to achieve these excellent device properties. A heart rate sensor driven by nanowatt faint light is demonstrated, indicating the enormous potential of this near-ideal b-Si photodiode for low power consuming applications.

Revealing the vertical structure of in-situ fabricated perovskite nanocrystals films toward efficient pure red light-emitting diodes

The development of efficient perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) relies strongly on the fabrication of perovskite films with rationally designed structures (grain size, composition, surface, etc.). Therefore, an understanding of structure-performance relationships is of vital importance for developing high-performance perovskite devices, particularly for devices with in-situ fabricated perovskite nanocrystal films. In this study, we reveal the vertical structure of an in-situ fabricated quasi-two-dimensional perovskite film. By combining time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, energy dispersive spectroscopy, grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), and low-temperature photoluminescence spectra, we illustrate that the resulting in-situ fabricated DPPA2Csn-1Pbn(Br0.3I0.7)3n+1 (DPPA+: 3,3-diphenylpropylammonium) film has a gradient structure with a very thin layer of ligands on the surface, predominantly small-n domains at the top, and predominantly large-n domains at the bottom owing to the solubility difference of the precursors. In addition, GIWAXS measurements show that the domain of n = 2 on the top layer has an ordered in-plane alignment. Based on the understanding of the film structure, we developed an in-situ fabrication process with ligand exchange to achieve efficient pure red PeLEDs at 638 nm with an average external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.4%. The optimized device had a maximum luminance of 623 cd/m2 with a peak EQE of 9.7%.

Silicon-integrated monocrystalline oxide–nitride heterostructures for deep-ultraviolet optoelectronics

New opportunities for high-performance CMOS-compatible optoelectronic devices have accelerated the interest in vertically configured device topologies that enable next-generation photonic technologies. Lately, TiN has been identified as a promising refractory metal–ceramic for the hybrid integration of emerging semiconductor materials on a variety of substrates, including Si, MgO, and sapphire. Among these, Si is the least expensive and most commonly used element and substrate material in the semiconductor device industry. Following these examples, a hybrid oxide–nitride–Si stack is proposed and thoroughly investigated herein for its potential use in DUV optoelectronic device applications. The stack comprises β-Ga2O3 thin films grown heteroepitaxially on TiN/Si platforms, wherein the TiN interlayers were heteroepitaxially grown on bulk (100)-oriented Si and act as lattice-mismatched templates and bottom device electrodes. Albeit the relatively large lattice mismatch between Si and TiN, a low in-plane rotation of 3 ∘ revealed that the TiN layers continued to grow as a bulk crystal, paving the way for heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 thin films being grown without exhibiting amorphous and metastable phases. DUV photodetectors based on this optoelectronic heterostructure exhibited average peak spectral responsivity and external quantum efficiency levels as high as 249 A/W and 1.23 × 105%, respectively, in the ultraviolet-C regime at an illuminating power density of around 12 µW/cm2.

Triarylamine-Pyridine-Carbonitriles for Organic Light-Emitting Devices with EQE Nearly 40.

Highly efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules are in urgent demand for solid-state lighting and full-color displays. Here, the design and synthesis of three triarylamine-pyridine-carbonitrile-based TADF compounds, TPAPPC, TPAmPPC, and tTPAmPPC, are shown. They exhibit excellent photoluminescence quantum yields of 79-100% with small ΔEST values, fast reverse intersystem crossing (RISC), and high horizontal dipole ratios (Θ// = 86-88%) in the thin films leading to the enhancement of device light outcoupling. Consequently, a green organic light-emitting diode (OLED) based on TPAmPPC shows a high average external quantum efficiency of 38.8± 0.6%, a current efficiency of 130.1± 2.1cd A-1 , and a power efficiency of 136.3± 2.2lm W-1 . The highest device efficiency of 39.8% appears to be record-breaking among TADF-based OLEDs to date. In addition, the TPAmPPC-based device shows superior operation lifetime and high-temperature resistance. It is worth noting that the TPA-PPC-based materials have excellent optical properties and the potential for making them strong candidates for TADF practical application.

Effect of anti-reflection coating on the performance of silicon solar cells with nanocrystalline quantum dots downshifting film

This experiment explores the effect of lithium fluoride (LiF) antireflection coating (ARC) on the performance of commercial silicon solar cells with mist deposited nanocrystalline quantum dots (NQD) downshifting film. The effect of blanket deposited and patterned NQD and ARC films is investigated. Significant improvement of the performance of cells with ARC is observed. Specifically, 67% increase in the average external quantum efficiency of silicon solar cells covered with AR coating in the UV range of 300–400 nm is noted. The micropatterning of NQD/LiF films improves light trapping inside the cell and enhances power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the cell by 19.5%. Overall, this experiment demonstrates that the ARC formation on top of the mist deposited NQD downshifting film results in measurable improvement in the performance of the commercial silicon solar cells.

Towards efficient near-infrared fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes

The energy gap law (EG-law) and aggregation quenching are the main limitations to overcome in the design of near-infrared (NIR) organic emitters. Here, we achieve unprecedented results by synergistically addressing both of these limitations. First, we propose porphyrin oligomers with increasing length to attenuate the effects of the EG -law by suppressing the non-radiative rate growth, and to increase the radiative rate via enhancement of the oscillator strength. Second, we design side chains to suppress aggregation quenching. We find that the logarithmic rate of variation in the non-radiative rate vs. EG is suppressed by an order of magnitude with respect to previous studies, and we complement this breakthrough by demonstrating organic light-emitting diodes with an average external quantum efficiency of ~1.1%, which is very promising for a heavy-metal-free 850 nm emitter. We also present a novel quantitative model of the internal quantum efficiency for active layers supporting triplet-to-singlet conversion. These results provide a general strategy for designing high-luminance NIR emitters.

Deep-blue organic light-emitting diodes based on a doublet d\u2013f transition cerium(III) complex with 100% exciton utilization efficiency

Compared to red and green organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), blue OLEDs are still the bottleneck due to the lack of efficient emitters with simultaneous high exciton utilization efficiency (EUE) and short excited-state lifetime. Different from the fluorescence, phosphorescence, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), and organic radical materials traditionally used in OLEDs, we demonstrate herein a new type of emitter, cerium(III) complex Ce-1 with spin-allowed and parity-allowed d–f transition of the centre Ce3+ ion. The compound exhibits a high EUE up to 100% in OLEDs and a short excited-state lifetime of 42 ns, which is considerably faster than that achieved in efficient phosphorescence and TADF emitters. The optimized OLEDs show an average maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 12.4% and Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.146, 0.078).

Rearranging Low-Dimensional Phase Distribution of Quasi-2D Perovskites for Efficient Sky-Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Metal halide perovskites have received much attention for their application in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the past several years. Rapid progress has been made in efficient green, red, and near-infrared perovskite LEDs. However, the development of blue perovskite LEDs is still lagging far behind. Here, we report efficient sky-blue perovskite LEDs by rearranging low-dimensional phase distribution in quasi-2D perovskites. We incorporated sodium ions into the mixed-Cl/Br quasi-2D perovskites with phenylethylammonium as the organic spacer and cesium lead halide as the inorganic framework. The inclusion of the sodium ion was found to significantly reduce the formation of the n = 1 phase, which was dominated by nonradiative transition, and increase the formation of other small-n phases for efficient exciton energy transfer. By managing the phase distribution, a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 11.7% was achieved in the sky-blue perovskite LED, with a stable emission peak at 488 nm. Further optimizing the phase distribution and film morphology with Pb content, we demonstrated the sky-blue devices with the average EQE approaching 10%. This strategy of engineering phase distribution of quasi-2D perovskites with a sodium ion could provide a useful way for the fabrication of high-performance blue perovskite LEDs.

Hybrid chemical bath deposition-CdS/sputter-Zn(O,S) alternative buffer for Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 based solar cells

To replace the conventionally used CdS buffers in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) based thin-film solar cells, sputtered Zn(O,S) buffer layers have been investigated. Zn(O,S) layers with three different [O]/([O] + [S]) ratios (0.4, 0.7, and 0.8)—and a combination of Zn(O,S) and CdS (“hybrid buffer layer”) were studied. In comparison to the CdS reference, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the Zn(O,S)-buffered devices increases in the short- and long-wavelength regions of the spectrum. However, the average EQE ranges below that of the CdS reference, and the devices show a low open-circuit voltage (VOC). By adding a very thin CdS layer (5 nm) between the absorber and the Zn(O,S) buffer, the VOC loss is completely avoided. Using thicker intermediate CdS layers result in a further device improvement, with VOC values above those of the CdS reference. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements suggest that the thin CdS layer prevents damage to the absorber surface during the sputter deposition of the Zn(O,S) buffer. With the hybrid buffer configuration, a record VOC deficit, i.e., a minimum difference between bandgap energy Eg (divided by the elementary charge q) and VOC (Eg/q – VOC) of 519 mV could be obtained, i.e., the lowest value reported for kesterite solar cells to date. Thus, the hybrid buffer configuration is a promising approach to overcome one of the main bottlenecks of kesterite-based solar cells, while simultaneously also reducing the amount of cadmium needed in the device.