CuSbS2-based thin film solar cells prepared from electrodeposited metallic stacks composed of Cu and Sb layers

• Published in: 2013 IEEE 39th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) pp. 2598 - 2601
• Main Authors: Ikeda, Shigeru, Iga, Yuta, Septina, Wilman, Harada, Takashi, Matsumura, Michio
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.06.2013
• Subjects: Atomic layer deposition; CuSbS 2 thin film; electrodeposition; Glass; Performance evaluation; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems
• ISSN: 0160-8371
• DOI: 10.1109/PVSC.2013.6745005

Polycrystalline copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS 2 ) films were fabricated by sulfurization of electrodeposited metallic stacks of Cu and Sb layers with various Cu/Sb atomic ratios at 450 °C in H 2 S (5% in Ar). Structural analyses using X-ray diffraction revealed that CuSbS 2 films obtained from Cu-poor and Cu-rich metallic stacks (Cu/Sb = 0.7 and 1.3) contained impurity phases, whereas single-phase CuSbS 2 film was formed from the stoichiometric stack (Cu/Sb = 1). Morphological studies using SEM indicated that adherence of thus-formed CuSbS 2 films to the Mo substrate was dependent on the precursor composition: a CuSbS 2 film with poor adherence having many crevices was formed when the Cu-rich metallic stack was used, while CuSbS 2 films with good adherences were obtained when Cu-poor and stoichiometric metallic stacks were used. Performance of solar cells with an Al:ZnO/CdS/CuSbS 2 /Mo structure also depended on structural characteristics of these CuSbS 2 films, i.e., a preliminary conversion efficiency of ca. 3% was obtained for device based on the CuSbS 2 film obtained from the stoichiometric metallic stack, whereas the devices derived from Cu-poor and Cu-rich metallic stacks showed the conversion efficiency less than 1%.