TY - JOUR
T1 - p-type Cu3BiS3 thin films for solar cell absorber layer via one stage thermal evaporation
AU - Hussain, Arshad
AU - Luo, Jing Ting
AU - Fan, Ping
AU - Liang, Guangxing
AU - Su, Zhenghua
AU - Ahmed, R.
AU - Ali, Nisar
AU - Wei, Qiuping
AU - Muhammad, Shabbir
AU - Chaudhry, Aijaz Rasool
AU - Fu, Yong Qing
PY - 2020/3/1
Y1 - 2020/3/1
N2 - Ternary copper sulphides, especially copper-bismuth-sulphide (Cu-Bi-S), are alternative solar absorber materials due to their earth-abundant and non-toxic constituent elements, compared to the conventional copper indium gallium sulphide and cadmium telluride films. In this study, Cu-Bi-S thin films were deposited onto soda lime glass substrates using a one stage co-evaporation process from Cu2S and Bi2S3 sources, with the deposition temperatures varied from room temperature to 400°C. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that Cu3BiS3 was the dominant phase in the Cu-rich films, and the crystalline quality of the films was significantly improved with increasing the deposition temperature. An optical bandgap of 1.4 eV was achieved for the film deposited at 400°C, which demonstrated a Hall mobility of 3.95 cm2/V-s and a carrier concentration of 7.48 × 1016 cm-3. Cu3BiS3 films deposited at 375 and 400°C were implemented into superstrate solar cell structures (glass/ITO/n-CdS/p-Cu3BiS3/Al).
AB - Ternary copper sulphides, especially copper-bismuth-sulphide (Cu-Bi-S), are alternative solar absorber materials due to their earth-abundant and non-toxic constituent elements, compared to the conventional copper indium gallium sulphide and cadmium telluride films. In this study, Cu-Bi-S thin films were deposited onto soda lime glass substrates using a one stage co-evaporation process from Cu2S and Bi2S3 sources, with the deposition temperatures varied from room temperature to 400°C. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that Cu3BiS3 was the dominant phase in the Cu-rich films, and the crystalline quality of the films was significantly improved with increasing the deposition temperature. An optical bandgap of 1.4 eV was achieved for the film deposited at 400°C, which demonstrated a Hall mobility of 3.95 cm2/V-s and a carrier concentration of 7.48 × 1016 cm-3. Cu3BiS3 films deposited at 375 and 400°C were implemented into superstrate solar cell structures (glass/ITO/n-CdS/p-Cu3BiS3/Al).
KW - p-Cu3BiS3
KW - thermal co-evaporation
KW - absorber layer
KW - thin film solar cell
KW - optical band gap
U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144597
DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144597
M3 - Article
VL - 505
JO - Applied Surface Science
JF - Applied Surface Science
SN - 0169-4332
M1 - 144597
ER -