Exploring Cu-Doping for Performance Improvement in Sb₂Se₃ Photovoltaic Solar Cells

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is a promising material for thin-film solar cells.
• Improving the efficiency of Sb2Se3-based photovoltaic devices is crucial for renewable energy.
• Doping strategies are often employed to enhance the optoelectronic properties of semiconductor materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of copper (Cu) doping on the properties of Sb2Se3 thin films.
• To evaluate the performance of Cu-doped Sb2Se3 as an absorber layer in solar cells.
• To understand the influence of substrate type (Mo and FTO) on the crystallization and photovoltaic performance.

Main Methods:

• Thin films of Cu-doped Sb2Se3 were fabricated using low-temperature pulsed electron deposition (LT-PED).
• The composition Sb1.75Cu0.25Se3 yielded optimal crystalline results.
• Films were deposited on both Mo and Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Cu doping in Sb2Se3 absorber layers enhanced the open circuit voltage (VOC) to over 500 mV.
• The free carrier density in Cu-doped films was two orders of magnitude higher compared to undoped Sb2Se3.
• Substrate choice influenced film crystallization and grain orientation.

Conclusions:

• Copper doping is an effective method to improve the photovoltaic performance of Sb2Se3 thin films.
• The enhanced open circuit voltage and carrier density indicate significant potential for Cu-doped Sb2Se3 in solar cell applications.
• Further research can explore optimized doping concentrations and deposition parameters for even higher efficiencies.