Effect of Annealing Temperatures on the Properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) Thin Films for Solar Cell Application
Keywords:
Grain size; microstrain; absorbance; bandgap; efficiencyAbstract
In recent times, considerable attention has shifted to the application of Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (CZTS) as absorber material in thin film solar cells. CZTS is a potential replacement for Copper Indium Gallium Selenide and Cadmium Telluride absorber-based solar cells because of its environmentally benign properties. It has a direct bandgap of 1.5 eV and high absorption coefficient (> 10-4 cm-1). In this paper, CZTS precursor solution was prepared using ethylene glycol and CZTS thin film was synthesized by spraying the solution on heated substrates. The effect of annealing temperatures on structural, optical and electrical properties of sprayed CZTS thin films were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry and four-point probe technique. XRD study revealed a wurzite structured CZTS thin film at 450oC annealing temperature and images obtained from SEM showed a homogenous and agglomerated surface at same temperature. UV-vis spectroscopic studies revealed increasing absorbance with increase in wavelength and a bandgap of 1.5 eV at 450oC. Electrical studies showed lowest resistivity at 450oC and a conversion efficiency of 0.12%.
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