Both Free and Trapped Carriers Contribute to Photocurrent of Sb2Se3 Solar Cells

Wang, Kang; Chen, Chao; Liao, Hongyan; Wang, Siyu; Tang, Jiang; Beard, Matthew C.; Yang, Ye

doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b01817

Title: Both Free and Trapped Carriers Contribute to Photocurrent of Sb₂Se₃ Solar Cells

Journal Article · 12 August 2019 · Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b01817 · OSTI ID:1557430

Wang, Kang ^[1]; Chen, Chao ^[2]; Liao, Hongyan ^[1]; Wang, Siyu ^[2];

^[2];

^[3];

^[1]

Xiamen Univ. (China)
Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China). Wuhan National Lab. for Optoelectronics (WNLO)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Polycrystalline semiconductor films, such as methylammonium lead iodide, cadmium telluride, copper-indium-gallium selenide, etc., are being intensively studied due to their great potential for highly efficient and cost-effective solar cells. Among them, polycrystalline antimony chalcogenide films are also promising for photovoltaic applications because they are nontoxic, stable, flexible, and have a suitable bandgap. Considerable effort has already been devoted to improving the power conversion efficiency of antimony chalcogenide solar cells, but their efficiency still lingers below 10% due in part to scarce fundamental optoelectronic studies that help guide their development. Here, we use a combination of time-resolved terahertz and transient absorption spectroscopies to interrogate the optoelectronic behavior of antimony selenide thin films. By combining these two techniques we are able to monitor both free and trapped carrier dynamics and then evaluate their respective diffusion lengths. Our results indicate that trapped carriers remain mobile and can reach charge collecting interfaces prior to recombination, and therefore, both free and trapped carriers can contribute to the photocurrent of antimony selenide solar cells.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1557430

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-72852

Journal Information:: Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, Vol. 10, Issue 17; ISSN 1948-7185

Publisher:: American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 41 works

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