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Solution-processed CuSbS2 solar cells based on metal–organic molecular solution precursors

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Abstract

Developing earth-abundant and low-toxic light absorber materials is crucial for next-generation photovoltaics. In this article, a simple solution-process method for the deposition of CuSbS2 thin film is presented. An equimolar mixture of Cu2O and Sb2O3 was dissolved in butyldithiocarbamic acid, forming a thermally degradable metal–organic molecular solution. Uniform and phase-pure CuSbS2 thin films can be obtained by spin coating this precursor solution followed by a fast annealing process in an inert gas environment. Preferential crystal growth of (111) lattice planes was observed in films prepared at annealing temperature of more than 290 °C. The films possess a direct band gap of 1.6 eV with high absorption coefficient. CuSbS2 planar heterojunction solar cells of FTO/CdS/CuSbS2/Au structure were assembled achieving a power conversion efficiency of 0.68% under one sun illumination. This metal–organic molecular solution precursor provides a simple method to fabricate multicomponent inorganic chalcogenide films for photovoltaic application.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Distinguished Youth Foundation of Anhui Province (1708085J09), the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No. 2016YFA0202400, 2015CB932200, the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 21403247 and the Major/Innovative Program of Development Foundation of Hefei Center for Physical Science and Technology (2016FXZY003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic and Energy Conservation Materials, Institute of Applied Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China

    Yafeng Xu, Qing Ye, Wenyong Chen, Xu Pan, Linhua Hu & Jun Zhu

  2. University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Yafeng Xu, Qing Ye, Wenyong Chen & Shangfeng Yang

  3. NAAM Research Group, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Tasawar Hayat & Ahmed Alsaedi

  4. Beijing Key Laboratory of Novel Thin Film Solar Cells, State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing, 102206, China

    Songyuan Dai

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  1. Yafeng Xu
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  2. Qing Ye
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  4. Xu Pan
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Xu, Y., Ye, Q., Chen, W. et al. Solution-processed CuSbS2 solar cells based on metal–organic molecular solution precursors. J Mater Sci 53, 2016–2025 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1663-8

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