Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of CuSbS2 for thin-film photovoltaics
Abstract
Copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS2) has been gaining traction as an earth-abundant absorber for thin-film photovoltaics given its near ideal band gap for solar energy conversion (~1.5 eV), large absorption coefficient (>104 cm–1), and elemental abundance. Through careful in situ analysis of the deposition conditions, a low-temperature route to CuSbS2 thin films via atomic layer deposition has been developed. After a short (15 min) post process anneal at 225 °C, the ALD-grown CuSbS2 films were crystalline with micron-sized grains, exhibited a band gap of 1.6 eV and an absorption coefficient >104 cm–1, as well as a hole concentration of 1015 cm–3. Finally, the ALD-grown CuSbS2 films were paired with ALD-grown TiO2 to form a photovoltaic device. This photovoltaic device architecture represents one of a very limited number of Cd-free CuSbS2 PV device stacks reported to date, and it is the first to demonstrate an open-circuit voltage on par with CuSbS2/CdS heterojunction PV devices. As a result, while far from optimized, this work demonstrates the potential for ALD-grown CuSbS2 thin films in environmentally benign photovoltaics.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[3]
- Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI (United States)
- Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Argonne-Northwestern Solar Energy Research Center (ANSER)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1356821
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357; SC0001059
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1944-8244
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; ternary metal sulfide; copper antimony sulfide; CuSbS2; atomic layer deposition; photovoltaics; thin film; thin film solar cell
Citation Formats
Riha, Shannon C., Koegel, Alexandra A., Emery, Jonathan D., Pellin, Michael J., and Martinson, Alex B. F. Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of CuSbS2 for thin-film photovoltaics. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1021/acsami.6b13033.
Riha, Shannon C., Koegel, Alexandra A., Emery, Jonathan D., Pellin, Michael J., & Martinson, Alex B. F. Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of CuSbS2 for thin-film photovoltaics. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b13033
Riha, Shannon C., Koegel, Alexandra A., Emery, Jonathan D., Pellin, Michael J., and Martinson, Alex B. F. Tue .
"Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of CuSbS2 for thin-film photovoltaics". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b13033. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1356821.
@article{osti_1356821,
title = {Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of CuSbS2 for thin-film photovoltaics},
author = {Riha, Shannon C. and Koegel, Alexandra A. and Emery, Jonathan D. and Pellin, Michael J. and Martinson, Alex B. F.},
abstractNote = {Copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS2) has been gaining traction as an earth-abundant absorber for thin-film photovoltaics given its near ideal band gap for solar energy conversion (~1.5 eV), large absorption coefficient (>104 cm–1), and elemental abundance. Through careful in situ analysis of the deposition conditions, a low-temperature route to CuSbS2 thin films via atomic layer deposition has been developed. After a short (15 min) post process anneal at 225 °C, the ALD-grown CuSbS2 films were crystalline with micron-sized grains, exhibited a band gap of 1.6 eV and an absorption coefficient >104 cm–1, as well as a hole concentration of 1015 cm–3. Finally, the ALD-grown CuSbS2 films were paired with ALD-grown TiO2 to form a photovoltaic device. This photovoltaic device architecture represents one of a very limited number of Cd-free CuSbS2 PV device stacks reported to date, and it is the first to demonstrate an open-circuit voltage on par with CuSbS2/CdS heterojunction PV devices. As a result, while far from optimized, this work demonstrates the potential for ALD-grown CuSbS2 thin films in environmentally benign photovoltaics.},
doi = {10.1021/acsami.6b13033},
journal = {ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces},
number = 5,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 24 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Tue Jan 24 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}
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