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Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) emerges as a promising sunlight absorber in thin film photovoltaic applications due to its excellent light absorption properties and carrier transport behavior, attributed to the quasi‐one‐dimensional Sb4Se6‐nanoribbon crystal structure. Overcoming the challenge of aligning Sb2Se3‐nanoribbons normal to substrates for efficient photogenerated carrier extraction, a solution‐processed nanocrystalline Sb2(S,Se)3‐seeds are employed on the CdS buffer layer. These seeds facilitate superstrated Sb2Se3thin film solar cell growth through a close‐space sublimation approach. The Sb2(S,Se)3‐seeds guided the Sb2Se3absorber growth along a [002]‐preferred crystal orientation, ensuring a smoother interface with the CdS window layer. Remarkably, Sb2(S,Se)3‐seeds improve carrier transport, reduce series resistance, and increase charge recombination resistance, resulting in an enhanced power conversion efficiency of 7.52%. This cost‐effective solution‐processed seeds planting approach holds promise for advancing chalcogenide‐based thin film solar cells in large‐scale manufacturing.
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Enhanced Efficiency and Stability in Sb 2 S 3 Seed Layer Buffered Sb 2 Se 3 Solar Cells
Abstract Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has excellent directional optical and electronic behaviors due to its quasi‐1D nanoribbons structure. The photovoltaic performance of Sb2Se3solar cells largely depends on the orientation of the nanoribbons. It is desired to grow these Sb2Se3ribbons normal to the substrate to enhance photoexcited carrier transport. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a strategy for the vertical growth of Sb2Se3nanoribbons to achieve high‐efficiency solar cells. Since antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) and Sb2Se3are from the same space group (Pbnm) and have the same crystal structure, herein an ultrathin layer (≈20 nm) of Sb2S3has been used to assist the vertical growth of Sb2Se3nanoribbons to improve the overall efficiency of Sb2Se3solar cell. The Sb2S3thin layer deposited by the hydrothermal process helps the Sb2Se3ribbons grow normal to the substrate and increases the efficiency from 5.65% to 7.44% through the improvement of all solar cell parameters. This work is expected to open a new direction to tailor the Sb2Se3grain growth and further develop the Sb2Se3solar cell in the future.
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- PAR ID:
- 10375218
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Materials Interfaces
- Volume:
- 9
- Issue:
- 21
- ISSN:
- 2196-7350
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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