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Influence of Copper and Tin Oxidation States on the Phase Evolution of Solution-Processed Ag-Alloyed CZTS Photovoltaic Absorbers

Author

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  • Abdeljalil Errafyg

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat 10000, Morocco
    Optics and Photonics Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science & Innovation & Research, MAScIR-UM6P, Benguerir 43150, Morocco)

  • Naoufal Ennouhi

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat 10000, Morocco
    Optics and Photonics Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science & Innovation & Research, MAScIR-UM6P, Benguerir 43150, Morocco)

  • Yassine Chouimi

    (Optics and Photonics Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science & Innovation & Research, MAScIR-UM6P, Benguerir 43150, Morocco)

  • Zouheir Sekkat

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat 10000, Morocco
    Optics and Photonics Center, Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science & Innovation & Research, MAScIR-UM6P, Benguerir 43150, Morocco)

Abstract

Kesterite-based semiconductors, particularly copper–zinc–tin–sulfide (CZTS), have garnered considerable attention as potential absorber layers in thin-film solar cells because of their abundance, nontoxicity, and cost-effectiveness. In this study, we explored the synthesis of Ag-alloyed CZTS (ACZTS) materials via the sol–gel method and deposited them on a transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) back electrode. A key challenge is the selection and manipulation of metal–salt precursors, with a particular focus on the oxidation states of copper (Cu) and tin (Sn) ions. Two distinct protocols, varying the oxidation states of the Cu and Sn ions, were employed to synthesize the ACZTS materials. The transfer from the solution to the precursor film was analyzed, followed by annealing at different temperatures under a sulfur atmosphere to investigate the behavior and growth of these materials during the final stage of annealing. Our results show that the precursor transformation from solution to film is highly sensitive to the oxidation states of these metal ions, significantly influencing the chemical reactions during sol–gel synthesis and subsequent annealing. Furthermore, the formation pathway of the kesterite phase at elevated temperatures differs between the two protocols. Structural, morphological, and optical properties were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Our findings highlight the critical role of the Cu and Sn oxidation states in the formation of high-quality kesterite materials. Additionally, we studied a novel approach for controlling the synthesis and phase evolution of kesterite materials via molecular inks, which could provide new opportunities for enhancing the efficiency of thin-film solar cells.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdeljalil Errafyg & Naoufal Ennouhi & Yassine Chouimi & Zouheir Sekkat, 2024. "Influence of Copper and Tin Oxidation States on the Phase Evolution of Solution-Processed Ag-Alloyed CZTS Photovoltaic Absorbers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:24:p:6341-:d:1545276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jiazheng Zhou & Xiao Xu & Huijue Wu & Jinlin Wang & Licheng Lou & Kang Yin & Yuancai Gong & Jiangjian Shi & Yanhong Luo & Dongmei Li & Hao Xin & Qingbo Meng, 2023. "Control of the phase evolution of kesterite by tuning of the selenium partial pressure for solar cells with 13.8% certified efficiency," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(5), pages 526-535, May.
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