Preparation of Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films by sulfurizing stacked precursor thin films via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 258; no. 19; pp. 7678 - 7682
• Main Authors: Su, Zhenghua, Yan, Chang, Sun, Kaiwen, Han, Zili, Liu, Fangyang, Liu, Jin, Lai, Yanqing, Li, Jie, Liu, Yexiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.07.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Cu2ZnSnS4; CZT; Diffraction; Exact sciences and technology; Photovoltaic cells; Physics; Precursors; SILAR; Solar cell; Solar cells; Surface chemistry; Thin film; Thin films; Solar cell; Cu2ZnSnS4; SILAR; Thin film; Solar cells; Thin films; Cu; ZnSnS; Preparation
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.04.120

► We fabricated Cu2ZnSnS4 films by sulfurizing stacked films via SILAR method. ► The CZTS thin films have kesterite structure and p-type conduction. ► The CZTS thin films have good optical and electrical properties for solar cells. ► The SILAR method is quite simple and low-cost to prepare CZTS thin films. Earth-abundant Cu2ZnSnS4 is a promising alternative photovoltaic material which has been examined as absorber layer of thin film solar cells. In this study, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films have been successfully fabricated by sulfurizing stacked precursor thin films via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The prepared CZTS thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectrometer, Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, Hall effect measurements and photoelectrochemical tests. Results reveal that the thin films have kesterite structured Cu2ZnSnS4 and the p-type conductivity with a carrier concentration in the order of 1018cm−3 and an optical band gap of 1.5eV, which are suitable for applications in thin film solar cells.