Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) absorber layer is a semiconductor compound that is derived from I-III-VI semiconducting CIGS material by replacing of group of IIIA elements with Zn and Sn. The earth-abundant and environmental-friendly raw materials, direct band structure, optimum band gap (~1.5 eV) and high absorption coefficient (≥ 104 cm-1) make CZTS compound suitable for solar cell applications [1]. The Shockley-Queisser theoretical calculation predicts that the maximum conversion efficiency of CZTS based p-n junction should be around of 32.4% [2]. However, the current record conversion efficiency was achieved with 12.6% by employing S and Se together in the structure [3]. The recent researches on CZTS have been carried out rapidly in order to decrease the gap between the theoretical limit and the current record efficiency.
Researchers: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali OLĞAR
Assist. Prof. Dr. Yavuz ATASOY
References:
[1] Riha, S. C., Parkinson, B. A. ve Prieto, A. L., 2009. Solution-based synthesis and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131,34, 12054-12055 (2009).
[2] Shockley, W. ve Queisser, H. J., 1961. Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of P-N Junction Solar Cells, Journal of Applied Physics, 32,3, 510-519 (1961).
[3] Wang, W., Winkler, M. T., Gunawan, O., Gokmen, T., Todorov, T. K., Zhu, Y. ve Mitzi, D. B., 2014. Device characteristics of CZTSSe thin-film solar cells with 12.6% efficiency, Advanced Energy Materials, 4,7,1301465 (2014).
[4] S. Das, K.C. Mandal, R.N. Bhattacharya, Earth-Abundant Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 (CZTSSe) Solar Cells, Semiconductor Materials for Solar Photovoltaic Cells, Springer2016, pp. 25-74.