Efficient Sb₂S₃ solar cells via thioacetamide-based hydrothermal deposition

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Photovoltaics

Background:

• Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) solar cells offer a promising low-cost photovoltaic technology.
• Thioacetamide (TAA) is a common precursor for Sb2S3 thin-film deposition.
• Device performance in Sb2S3 solar cells is often limited by factors such as film morphology and interfacial properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of cadmium sulfide (CdS) film compactness on the performance of TAA-based Sb2S3 solar cells.
• To identify the optimal CdS film thickness for maximizing power conversion efficiency.
• To establish a new benchmark efficiency for this class of solar cells.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Sb2S3 thin-film solar cells using TAA precursor.
• Systematic variation of CdS buffer layer thickness.
• Characterization of film properties and device performance metrics, including power conversion efficiency (PCE).

Main Results:

• CdS film compactness was identified as the primary limiting factor for device performance.
• Optimizing CdS film thickness led to significant improvements in solar cell efficiency.
• A maximum power conversion efficiency of 6.54% was achieved for TAA-based Sb2S3 solar cells.

Conclusions:

• The compactness and thickness of the CdS buffer layer are critical parameters for efficient TAA-based Sb2S3 solar cells.
• Precise control over CdS film deposition is essential for achieving high performance.
• The achieved 6.54% efficiency sets a new record and highlights the potential of this solar cell architecture.