Comparative Study of Cu2ZnSnS4 Thin Films Prepared by Chalcogenide and Single Targets

doi:10.15541/jim20180304

Abstract

Abstract:

To verify feasibility and superiority of preparing Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) thin films and solar cells by sputtering chalcogenide targets instead of single targets, two kinds of CZTS thin films were synthesized via multi-period sputtering ZnS-Sn-CuS and Zn-Sn-Cu, respectively. Influence of different sputtering targets on crystal structure, phase purity, surface roughness, chemical composition, surface and cross-sectional morphology, and optical-electrical properties of CZTS thin films were investigated in detail. Subsequently, the complete devices were fabricated according to SLG/Mo/CZTS/CdS/i-ZnO/ZnO:Al/Ni-Al and J-V characteristics of cells were measured. The results show that the solar cell made of ZnS-Sn-CuS precursor owns an open-circuit voltage of 611 mV, short-circuit current density of 21.28 mA/cm ² and efficiency of 5.11% while the solar cell based on single targets shows an open-circuit voltage of 594 mV, short-circuit current density of 18.56 mA/cm ² and an efficiency of 4.13%. It is attributed to the fact that the CZTS thin films prepared by ZnS-Sn-CuS have smoother, denser surface and better longitudinal growth compared with those prepared by single targets. The result confirms the superiority of the CZTS thin film and solar cells prepared using the chalcogenide targets over those from single targets.

Key words: Cu₂ZnSnS₄ thin films, solar cells, binary sulfide target, single metal target

CLC Number:

TN304

Xin XU, Shu-Rong WANG, Xun MA, Shuai YANG, Yao-Bin LI, Hong-Bin YANG. Comparative Study of Cu₂ZnSnS₄ Thin Films Prepared by Chalcogenide and Single Targets[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2019, 34(5): 529-534.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 XRD patterns of the CZTS thin films obtained with different precursors

Fig. 2 Raman spectra of the CZTS thin films obtained with different precursors

Fig. 3 SEM images of (a, c) CZTS1 and (b, d) CZTS2 thin films obtained via different precursors

Table 1 Chemical composition of CZTS1 and CZTS2 thin film

Sample	Cu/at%	Zn/at%	Sn/at%	S/at%	Cu/(Zn+Sn)	Zn/Sn
CZTS1	20.52	13.47	11.24	54.75	0.83	1.2
CZTS2	21.63	13.31	10.75	54.31	0.90	1.23

Fig. 4 AFM images of (a-c) CZTS1 and (d-f) CZTS2 thin films

Fig. 5 (a) Optical absorption coefficient and (b) plots of ($\alpha$hv)2 vs. photon energy (hv) of CZTS1* and CZTS2*

Table 2 Electrical properties of CZTS1* and CZTS2*

Sample	Mobility /(cm²·V^-1·s^-1)	Charge carrier concentration/cm³	Resistivity /(Ω·cm)
CZTS1*	5.65	8.58×10¹⁷	0.94
CZTS2*	4.36	6.88×10¹⁸	1.07

Fig. 6 Cross sectional SEM images of Cell-1 and Cell-2

Fig. 7 J-V curves of the Cell-1 and Cell-2

Table 3 Parameters of cell-1 and Cell-2

Cell	V_oc/mV	J_sc/ (mA·cm^-2)	η/%	FF/%	R_S/ (Ω·cm^-2)	R_sh/ (Ω·cm^-2)
Cell-1	611	21.28	5.11	39	12.7	151.8
Cell-2	594	18.56	4.13	37	14.4	135.1

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Comparative Study of Cu₂ZnSnS₄ Thin Films Prepared by Chalcogenide and Single Targets

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