Quantitative analysis of Ag-doped SnS thin films for solar cell applications

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 126; no. 10
• Main Authors: Sebastian, S., Vinoth, S., Prasad, K. Hari, Revathy, M. S., Gobalakrishnan, S., Praseetha, P. K., Ganesh, V., AlFaify, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Absorption; Applied physics; Atomic force microscopes; Atomic force microscopy; Cadmium sulfide; Carrier density; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystallites; Current carriers; Electrical properties; Energy gap; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Microscopes; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Quantitative analysis; Silver; Solar cells; Spray pyrolysis; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; X ray analysis; Characterization; Electrical studies; Solar cell applications; Ag doping; SnS thin films; Photoluminescence
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-020-03959-8

This work reports the changes in the properties of Ag-doped SnS thin films (SnS:Ag), and CdS/SnS solar cells with an Ag dopant concentration in the absorber varied from 0 to 6 wt.% in steps of 3 wt.% prepared by the nebulizer-assisted spray pyrolysis method (NSP). X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirm the SnS:Ag (3 wt.%) thin film has a higher crystallite size than the undoped and SnS:Ag (6 wt.%) thin film. An atomic force microscope (AFM) image shows SnS:Ag (3 wt.%) film possesses larger-sized grains than other samples. The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) confirms the presence of the constituent elements in the SnS:Ag thin films. PL analysis revealed the films possess the band edge as well as the other defect-related emissions of SnS. The Ag doping facilitates the tunability in absorption and decreases in optical bandgap for the SnS:Ag (3 wt.%) film. Hall measurements provide the low resistivity of 3.31 Ωcm, the high charge carrier concentration of 1.56 × 10
17
 cm
−3
, and high mobility of 12.1 cm
2
 V
−1
 s
−1
for 3 wt.% Ag-doped SnS film. The better photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 0.285% was observed for the device prepared with SnS:Ag (3 wt.%) thin film compared to other samples due to enhanced absorption, optimum bandgap, and better electrical properties.