Tin sulfide thin films and Mo/p-SnS/n-CdS/ZnO heterojunctions for photovoltaic applications

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 520; no. 17; pp. 5807 - 5810
• Main Authors: Bashkirov, S.A., Gremenok, V.F., Ivanov, V.A., Lazenka, V.V., Bente, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30-06-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Auger electron spectroscopy; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition; Deposition by sputtering; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Heterojunctions; Hot wall deposition; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Natural energy; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Solar cells; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Sulfides; Thin films; Tin sulfide; Titanium nitride; X-ray diffraction; Zinc oxide; Thin films; Solar cells; Hot wall deposition; Heterojunctions; X-ray diffraction; Auger electron spectroscopy; Tin sulfide; Chemical bath deposition; Nitrogen addition; Thin film; Photovoltaic cell; Physical vapor deposition; Zinc oxide; Current density; Auger electron spectrometry; Heterojunction; Buffer layer; Aluminium nitride; Aluminium addition; Cadmium sulfide; X ray diffraction; Molybdenum; Solar cell; Bilayers; Crystalline structure
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2012.04.030

Tin sulfide (SnS) is one of the most promising materials for photovoltaics. Here we report on the preparation as well as chemical, structural and physical characterization of the Mo/p-SnS/n-CdS/ZnO heterojunctions. The SnS thin films were grown by hot wall deposition method on the Mo-coated glass substrates at 270–350°C. The crystal structure and elemental composition were examined by X-ray diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy methods. The CdS buffer layers were deposited onto the SnS films by chemical bath deposition. The ZnO window layers were deposited by a two step radio frequency magnetron sputtering, resulting in a ZnO bilayer structure: the first layer consists of undoped i-ZnO and the second of Al-doped n-ZnO. The best junctions have an open circuit voltage of 132mV, a short circuit current density of 3.6mA/cm2, a fill-factor of 0.29 and efficiency up to 0.5%.
► We used hot wall vacuum deposition method to obtain the absorbing SnS layers. ► We obtained Mo/n-CdS/p-SnS/ZnO heterojunctions. ► The light conversion efficiency of the structures reaches 0.5%.