A Codoping Strategy for Efficient Planar Heterojunction Sb₂S₃ Solar Cells

Abstract

Antimony sulfide is a promising wide bandgap light‐harvesting material owing to its high absorption coefficient, nontoxicity, superior stability, and low cost. However, the reported Sb2S3 absorber suffers from complicated defect characteristics due to its quasi‐1D structure. Herein, a codoping technique from chlorine and selenium is developed in hydrothermal method to regulate the film defect properties and promote the device efficiency. The theoretical calculation and experimental results demonstrate that the Cl&Se codoping plays a synergistic role in absorber film quality improvement. Se doping could efficiently fill the intrinsic deep defect level VS and Cl is a benign n‐type dopant and favor [hk1] oriented deposition. Systematic device physical characterizations verify the codoped device superior heterojunction quality and much lower interface and bulk defect density comparing with control one. The optimal codoping device delivers a certified power conversion efficiency of 7.15% (5.9% for control one), the highest certified value in planar Sb2S3 solar cells. This study develops an effective doping strategy with multi‐element synergistic incorporation which sheds new light on high‐efficiency Sb2S3 solar cells.

Modulating the Quantum Efficiency of Sb2S3‐Based Photodiodes Based on Conventional and Inverted Structures

“…[20] The swift decay of the signal is a sign of short carrier lifetime caused by the severe charge recombination and numerous trap states, which is consistent with the literature reports. [4,[21][22][23][24] Prior to the device fabrication, we first evaluated the materials properties of the interlayers, i.e., CdS and Sb 2 S 3 . Figure S5 (Supporting Information) compares the absorption and transmittance spectra of a 40 nm CdS (electron transport layer) and a 20 nm Sb 2 Se 3 (hole transfer layer) on glass.…”

Flexible Substrate‐Structured Sb2S3 Solar Cells with Back Interface Selenization

“…[ 13,14 ] In general, Sb 2 S 3 thin films combined with TiO 2 or CdS layer are deposited on FTO or ITO glass to obtain rigid solar cells. [ 15,16 ] The fabrication of crystallized Sb 2 S 3 film on rigid substrates via an efficient rapid thermal evaporation (RTE) method needs high‐temperature processes. [ 17 ] As a suitable candidate for flexible substrate withstanding high temperatures, the Mo foil exhibited positive effects in kesterite Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 (CZTSSe) solar cells with 10% PCE.…”

A Robust Hydrothermal Sulfuration Strategy toward Effective Defect Passivation Enabling 6.92% Efficiency Sb2S3 Solar Cells

“…In particular, it should be pointed out that Sb 2 S 3 solar cell has attracted extensive attention, due to its advantages of large absorption coefficient, suitable bandgap, earth-abundant, and nontoxic compositions. [17][18][19] However, the device performance of Sb 2 S 3 solar cell is still seriously limited by anion-vacancy-induced defects (i.e., V S and Sb S ) that make it obviously lower than the Sb 2 Se 3 or Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 photovoltaic devices. [20][21][22][23] Therefore, developing a mild, efficient, and low-cost method to suppress sulfur-vacancy-induced defects is an important solution to improve the device performances of Sb 2 S 3 solar cells.Currently, sulfuration is an efficient approach to passivate V S and Sb S defects of Sb 2 S 3 absorber layers due to its significant role in improving the content of S. There are five types of sulfur sources that have been reported to treat Sb 2 S 3 and CZTSSe absorber layers: elemental sulfur, [24] H 2 S, [25] thiourea (TU), [26,27] thioacetamide (TA), [28] and ammonium sulfide ((NH 4 ) 2 S).…”

“…In particular, it should be pointed out that Sb 2 S 3 solar cell has attracted extensive attention, due to its advantages of large absorption coefficient, suitable bandgap, earth-abundant, and nontoxic compositions. [17][18][19] However, the device performance of Sb 2 S 3 solar cell is still seriously limited by anion-vacancy-induced defects (i.e., V S and Sb S ) that make it obviously lower than the Sb 2 Se 3 or Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 photovoltaic devices. [20][21][22][23] Therefore, developing a mild, efficient, and low-cost method to suppress sulfur-vacancy-induced defects is an important solution to improve the device performances of Sb 2 S 3 solar cells.…”