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Unveiling microscopic carrier loss mechanisms in 12% efficient Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells

Author

Listed:
  • Jianjun Li

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Jialiang Huang

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Fajun Ma

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Heng Sun

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Jialin Cong

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Karen Privat

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Richard F. Webster

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Soshan Cheong

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Yin Yao

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Robert Lee Chin

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Xiaojie Yuan

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Mingrui He

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Kaiwen Sun

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Hui Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yaohua Mai

    (Jinan University)

  • Ziv Hameiri

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Nicholas J. Ekins-Daukes

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Richard D. Tilley

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Thomas Unold

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie)

  • Martin A. Green

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Xiaojing Hao

    (University of New South Wales)

Abstract

Understanding carrier loss mechanisms at microscopic regions is imperative for the development of high-performance polycrystalline inorganic thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress achieved for kesterite, a promising environmentally benign and earth-abundant thin-film photovoltaic material, the microscopic carrier loss mechanisms and their impact on device performance remain largely unknown. Herein, we unveil these mechanisms in state-of-the-art Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) solar cells using a framework that integrates multiple microscopic and macroscopic characterizations with three-dimensional device simulations. The results indicate the CZTSe films have a relatively long intragrain electron lifetime of 10–30 ns and small recombination losses through bandgap and/or electrostatic potential fluctuations. We identify that the effective minority carrier lifetime of CZTSe is dominated by a large grain boundary recombination velocity (~104 cm s−1), which is the major limiting factor of present device performance. These findings and the framework can greatly advance the research of kesterite and other emerging photovoltaic materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Jianjun Li & Jialiang Huang & Fajun Ma & Heng Sun & Jialin Cong & Karen Privat & Richard F. Webster & Soshan Cheong & Yin Yao & Robert Lee Chin & Xiaojie Yuan & Mingrui He & Kaiwen Sun & Hui Li & Yaoh, 2022. "Unveiling microscopic carrier loss mechanisms in 12% efficient Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 754-764, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:7:y:2022:i:8:d:10.1038_s41560-022-01078-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-022-01078-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. W. K. Metzger & S. Grover & D. Lu & E. Colegrove & J. Moseley & C. L. Perkins & X. Li & R. Mallick & W. Zhang & R. Malik & J. Kephart & C.-S. Jiang & D. Kuciauskas & D. S. Albin & M. M. Al-Jassim & G., 2019. "Exceeding 20% efficiency with in situ group V doping in polycrystalline CdTe solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 4(10), pages 837-845, October.
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    3. Maximilian Krause & Aleksandra Nikolaeva & Matthias Maiberg & Philip Jackson & Dimitrios Hariskos & Wolfram Witte & José A. Márquez & Sergej Levcenko & Thomas Unold & Roland Scheer & Daniel Abou-Ras, 2020. "Microscopic origins of performance losses in highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Felix Creutzig & Peter Agoston & Jan Christoph Goldschmidt & Gunnar Luderer & Gregory Nemet & Robert C. Pietzcker, 2017. "The underestimated potential of solar energy to mitigate climate change," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 1-9, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jinlin Wang & Jiangjian Shi & Kang Yin & Fanqi Meng & Shanshan Wang & Licheng Lou & Jiazheng Zhou & Xiao Xu & Huijue Wu & Yanhong Luo & Dongmei Li & Shiyou Chen & Qingbo Meng, 2024. "Pd(II)/Pd(IV) redox shuttle to suppress vacancy defects at grain boundaries for efficient kesterite solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Xiao Xu & Jiazheng Zhou & Kang Yin & Jinlin Wang & Licheng Lou & Menghan Jiao & Bowen Zhang & Dongmei Li & Jiangjian Shi & Huijue Wu & Yanhong Luo & Qingbo Meng, 2023. "Controlling Selenization Equilibrium Enables High-Quality Kesterite Absorbers for Efficient Solar Cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.

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