Top Stack Optimization for Cu2BaSn(S, Se)4 Photovoltaic Cell Leads to Improved Device Power Conversion Efficiency beyond 6%

Teymur, Betul; Kim, Yongshin; Huang, Jialiang; Sun, Kaiwen; Hao, Xiaojing; Mitzi, David B.

doi:10.1002/aenm.202201602

Title: Top Stack Optimization for Cu₂BaSn(S, Se)₄ Photovoltaic Cell Leads to Improved Device Power Conversion Efficiency beyond 6%

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Advanced Energy Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202201602· OSTI ID:1903148

Teymur, Betul ^[1]; Kim, Yongshin ^[1]; Huang, Jialiang ^[2]; Sun, Kaiwen ^[2]; Hao, Xiaojing ^[2];

^[1]

Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)
Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW (Australia)

Abstract Earth‐abundant and air‐stable Cu ₂ BaSnS ₄₋ _x Se _x (CBTSSe) and related thin‐film absorbers are regarded as prospective options to meet the increasing demand for low‐cost solar cell deployment. Devices based on vacuum‐deposited CBTSSe absorbers have achieved record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.2% based on a conventional device structure using CdS buffer and i‐ZnO/indium tin oxide (ITO) window layers, with open‐circuit voltage ( V _OC ) posing the major bottleneck for improving solar cell performance. The current study demonstrates a >20% improvement in V _OC (from 0.62 to 0.75 V) and corresponding enhancement in PCE (from 5.1% to 6.2% without antireflection coating; to 6.5% with MgF ₂ antireflection coating) for solution‐deposited CBTSSe solar cells. This performance improvement is realized by introducing an alternative successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction‐deposited Zn ₁₋ _x Cd _x S buffer combined with sputtered Zn ₁₋ _x Mg _x O/Al‐doped ZnO window/top contact layer, which offers lower electron affinities relative to the conventional CdS/i‐ZnO/ITO stack and better matching with the low electron affinity of CBTSSe. A combined experimental (temperature‐ and light intensity‐dependent V _OC measurements) and device simulation (SCAPS‐1D) evaluation points to the importance of addressing relative band offsets for both the buffer and window layers relative to the absorber in mitigating interfacial recombination and optimizing CBTSSe solar cell performance.

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Research Organization:: Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF); Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0020061; ECCS-2025064; 2017/RND006

OSTI ID:: 1903148

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1885070

Journal Information:: Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 12, Issue 40; ISSN 1614-6832

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Top Stack Optimization for Cu2BaSn(S, Se)4 Photovoltaic Cell Leads to Improved Device Power Conversion Efficiency beyond 6%

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References (49)

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Title: Top Stack Optimization for Cu₂BaSn(S, Se)₄ Photovoltaic Cell Leads to Improved Device Power Conversion Efficiency beyond 6%