Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles

Yongtao Qu; See Wee Chee; Martial Duchamp; Stephen Campbell; Guillaume Zoppi; Vincent Barrioz; Yvelin Giret; Thomas J. Penfold; Apoorva Chaturvedi; Utkur Mirsaidov; Neil Beattie

doi:10.1021/acsaem.9b01732

Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles

Yongtao Qu, See Wee Chee, Martial Duchamp, Stephen Campbell, Guillaume Zoppi, Vincent Barrioz, Yvelin Giret, Thomas J. Penfold, Apoorva Chaturvedi, Utkur Mirsaidov, Neil Beattie

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

91 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals are annealed in a Se-rich atmosphere inside a transmission electron microscope. During the heating phase, a complete S-Se exchange reaction occurs while the cation sublattice and morphology of the nanocrystals are preserved. At the annealing temperature, growth of large Cu2ZnSnSe4 grains with increased cation ordering is observed in real-time. This
yields an annealing protocol which is transferred to an industrially-similar solar cell fabrication process resulting in a 33% increase in the device open circuit voltage. The approach can be applied to improve the performance of any photovoltaic technology that requires annealing because of the criticality of the process step.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	122-128
Journal	ACS Applied Energy Materials
Volume	3
Issue number	1
Early online date	19 Dec 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaem.9b01732
Publication status	Published - 27 Jan 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Kesterite
photovoltaics
in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Annealing
Cation ordering

Access to Document

10.1021/acsaem.9b01732Licence: CC BY

ae-2019-01732w.R2_Proof_hiAccepted author manuscript, 3.05 MB
acsaem.9b01732Final published version, 3.88 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles",

abstract = "Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals are annealed in a Se-rich atmosphere inside a transmission electron microscope. During the heating phase, a complete S-Se exchange reaction occurs while the cation sublattice and morphology of the nanocrystals are preserved. At the annealing temperature, growth of large Cu2ZnSnSe4 grains with increased cation ordering is observed in real-time. This yields an annealing protocol which is transferred to an industrially-similar solar cell fabrication process resulting in a 33\% increase in the device open circuit voltage. The approach can be applied to improve the performance of any photovoltaic technology that requires annealing because of the criticality of the process step.",

keywords = "Kesterite, photovoltaics, in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Annealing, Cation ordering",

author = "Yongtao Qu and Chee, \{See Wee\} and Martial Duchamp and Stephen Campbell and Guillaume Zoppi and Vincent Barrioz and Yvelin Giret and Penfold, \{Thomas J.\} and Apoorva Chaturvedi and Utkur Mirsaidov and Neil Beattie",

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day = "27",

doi = "10.1021/acsaem.9b01732",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "122--128",

journal = "ACS Applied Energy Materials",

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T1 - Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles

AU - Qu, Yongtao

AU - Chee, See Wee

AU - Duchamp, Martial

AU - Campbell, Stephen

AU - Zoppi, Guillaume

AU - Barrioz, Vincent

AU - Giret, Yvelin

AU - Penfold, Thomas J.

AU - Chaturvedi, Apoorva

AU - Mirsaidov, Utkur

AU - Beattie, Neil

PY - 2020/1/27

Y1 - 2020/1/27

N2 - Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals are annealed in a Se-rich atmosphere inside a transmission electron microscope. During the heating phase, a complete S-Se exchange reaction occurs while the cation sublattice and morphology of the nanocrystals are preserved. At the annealing temperature, growth of large Cu2ZnSnSe4 grains with increased cation ordering is observed in real-time. This yields an annealing protocol which is transferred to an industrially-similar solar cell fabrication process resulting in a 33% increase in the device open circuit voltage. The approach can be applied to improve the performance of any photovoltaic technology that requires annealing because of the criticality of the process step.

AB - Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals are annealed in a Se-rich atmosphere inside a transmission electron microscope. During the heating phase, a complete S-Se exchange reaction occurs while the cation sublattice and morphology of the nanocrystals are preserved. At the annealing temperature, growth of large Cu2ZnSnSe4 grains with increased cation ordering is observed in real-time. This yields an annealing protocol which is transferred to an industrially-similar solar cell fabrication process resulting in a 33% increase in the device open circuit voltage. The approach can be applied to improve the performance of any photovoltaic technology that requires annealing because of the criticality of the process step.

KW - Kesterite

KW - photovoltaics

KW - in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

KW - Annealing

KW - Cation ordering

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85079270251

U2 - 10.1021/acsaem.9b01732

DO - 10.1021/acsaem.9b01732

M3 - Article

SN - 2574-0962

VL - 3

SP - 122

EP - 128

JO - ACS Applied Energy Materials

JF - ACS Applied Energy Materials

IS - 1

ER -

Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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CZTSSe solar cells from nanoparticle inks

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Real-time electron nanoscopy of photovoltaic absorber formation from kesterite nanoparticles

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

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CZTSSe solar cells from nanoparticle inks

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