Influence of Dipping Cycles on Physical, Optical, and Electrical Properties of Cu2NiSnS4: Direct Solution Dip Coating for Photovoltaic Applications

Talysa Klein, Marinus Van Hest, Krishnaiah Mokurala, Sudhanshu Mallick, Parag Bhargava, Sebastian Siol

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Direct solution coating technique has emerged as a promising economically viable process for earth abundant chalcogenide absorber materials for photovoltaic applications. Here, direct ethanol based dip coating of earth abundant Cu2NiSnS4 (CNTS) films on soda lime glass (SLG), molybdenum coated glass (Mo), and fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass (FTO) substrates is investigated. The structural and morphological properties of pre-annealed and sulfurized CNTS films coated on SLG, FTO, and Mo substrates are reported. The influence of dipping cycles on composition and optoelectronic properties of pre-annealed and sulfurized CNTS films deposited on SLG substrate is presented. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis reveal how changes in thickness and elemental composition affect morphology and optoelectronic properties. The obtained absorption coefficient, optical bandgap, resistivity and mobility of pre - annealed and sulfurized films are found to be 104 cm-1, 1.5 eV, 0.48 Ocm, 3.4 cm2/Vs and 104 cm-1, 1.29 eV, 0.14 Ocm, 11.0 cm2/Vs, respectively. These properties are well suited for photovoltaic applications and lead to the conclusion that the direct ethanol based dip coating can be an alternative economically viable process for the fabrication of earth abundant CNTS absorber layers for thin film solar cells.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)510-518
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Alloys and Compounds
Volume725
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-5K00-69035

Keywords

  • annealing
  • Cu2NiSnS4
  • dip coating
  • dipping cycles
  • optoelectronic properties
  • photo response

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