Ag₃SbS₃Liquid-Junction Semiconductor-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

We present a new ternary semiconductor absorber material -Ag 3 SbS 3 -for solar cells. Ag 3 SbS 3 nanoparticles were grown on mesoporous TiO 2 electrodes using a two-stage successive ionic layer adsorption reaction process. Post annealing transformed the double-layered structure into the Ag 3 SbS 3 phase. The energy gap of the synthesized Ag 3 SbS 3 nanoparticles is estimated to be ∼1.5-1.7 eV. Liquid-junction semiconductor-sensitized solar cells were fabricated from the synthesized nanoparticles using a polysulfide electrolyte. The best cell yielded a short-circuit current density J sc of 11.47 mA/cm 2 , an open-circuit voltage V oc of 0.33 V, a fill factor FF of 38.92%, and a power conversion efficiency η of 1.47% under 1 sun. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum covered the spectral range of 300-850 nm with a maximal EQE = 80% at λ = 500 nm. At the reduced light intensity of 13% sun, the η increased to 2.18% with J sc = 2.46 mA/cm 2 (which could be normalized to 18.9 mA/cm 2 ). The respectable photovoltaic performance indicates that Ag 3 SbS 3 could be a potential solar absorber material. Semiconductor-sensitized solar cells (SSSCs) have drawn a great deal of attention due to their potential application as a low-cost alternative to Si-based photovoltaic sources. The key component of an SSSC is a mesoporous oxide nanoparticles (usually TiO 2 ) coated with a layer of nanostructured light-absorbing semiconductor. An electrolyte is filled into the porous space of the TiO 2 electrode to complete the charge redox process. Depending on the electrolyte, SSSCs can be classified into two types: solid-state SSSCs (also referred to as extremely thin absorber solar cell-ETA) or liquid-junction SSSCs. The most widely used semiconductor absorber materials are the binary metal chalcolgenides such as CdS, CdSe, PbS, Ag 2 S, Sb 2 S 3 , etc.1-5 These nanostructured semiconductor sensitizers have several advantages including (1) tunable absorption range due to the quantumsize effect, 6 (2) large optical absorption coefficient, 7 and (3) multiple electron-hole pairs produced by a single photon. 8 The highest efficiencies achieved for single-layered binary metal chalcogenide sensitizers are ∼5-7%.9-12 Slightly better efficiencies can be obtained for double-layered core-shell binary sensitizers. [13][14][15] In contrast to binary sensitizers, ternary semiconductors are a relatively unexplored subject. Ternary semiconductors are more difficult to synthesize because there are three elements involved and the stoichiometry must be correct. There are several advantages for ternary semiconductor sensitizers: (1) the energy gap E g can be tuned by varying the ratio among the three elements, (2) large optical absorption coefficients near 10 4 -10 5 cm −1 , and (3) many ternary semiconductors have E g near the optimal E g ∼ 1.4 eV for an optimal solar absorber. 16 However, only a small number of ternary semiconductors, such as CuSbS 2 , Pb-Sb-S, AgInS 2 , AgBiS 2 etc., have been employed as solar absorbers in SSSCs to date (the wi...

Ion exchange-prepared NaSbSe2 nanocrystals: electronic structure and photovoltaic properties of a new solar absorber material

“…One of the representative ternary semiconductorsthe I-V-VI 2 class, where I ¼ Cu, Ag, or alkali metals; V ¼ Sb, Bi; and VI ¼ S, Se, Te, have been studied for their potential applications in thermoelectrics 7-10 and solar cells. [11][12][13][14][15][16] Among the various I metals, the Cu-based I-V-VI 2 materials, such as Cu-Bi-S, CuSbS 2 , have been explored as solar materials. [17][18][19][20][21] The Ag-based materials such as AgSbS 2 , Ag 3 SbS 3 , and AgBiS 2 have also been reported recently.…”

“…[17][18][19][20][21] The Ag-based materials such as AgSbS 2 , Ag 3 SbS 3 , and AgBiS 2 have also been reported recently. 11,16,22 In contrast, I-V-VI 2 materials based on alkali metals have been rarely investigated despite their ease of preparation and promising solar cell performance. 23 Alkali metal antimony-based ternary chalcogenides of the type A I SbX VI 2 (where A ¼ Na, K, Rb and X ¼ S, Se) had been synthesized by the direct interaction of an alkali metal with antimony and either sulphur or selenium at extremely high temperature.…”

Near‐Infrared Luminescent Ternary Ag3SbS3 Quantum Dots by in situ Conversion of Ag Nanocrystals with Sb(C9H19COOS)3

“…Ternary semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with multivalent cations and composition‐dependent tunable band gaps, have potential applications in the field of thin‐film thermoelectrics and active absorbers in photovoltaic devices . Series of such NCs in group I‐III‐VI and I‐II‐IV‐VI semiconductors are extensively studied and explored for designing both light‐emitting and harvesting devices . Among different synthesis methods of these multinary NCs, in situ chemical conversion is one efficient protocol for keeping the intrinsic morphologies of starting materials .…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] Series of such NCs in group I-III-VI and I-II-IV-VI semiconductors are extensively studied and explored for designing both light-emitting and harvesting devices. [7][8][9][10] Among different synthesis methods of these multinary NCs, in situ chemical conversion is one efficient protocol for keeping the intrinsic morphologies of starting materials. [11] For instance, Pradhana nd hisc o-workers obtained core/shell Sb 2 Se 3 /Cu 3 SbSe 3 nanorod heterostructures with NIR-localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) .…”

Synthesis, structure and photoelectric properties of selenide composites with in situ constructed Sb2Se3/NaSbSe2 heterojunction

“…Ternary semiconductors -the I-V-VI2 family, where I = Cu, Ag, or alkali metals; V = Bi, Sb; and VI = S, Se, Te, have attracted increasing attention in thermoelectric [19][20][21] and solar cells [22][23][24][25][26]. Among these materials, ternary chalcogenide semiconductor NaSbSe2 is another promising compound that is synthesized at high temperature with a NaCl-type structure and the lattice constant is 5.966(2) Å [27,28].…”