The stoichiometry of single nanoparticles of copper zinc tin selenide

Abstract

Cu(2)ZnSnSe(4) nanoparticles have high potential to be used as ink for printable solar cells. Using transmission electron microscopy we show that these nanoparticles exhibit a broad range of chemical heterogeneity. These results are contrary to the interpretation of previous experimental work and will have considerable impact on the development of these nanoparticles.

Cu2SnSe3 and alloyed (ZnSe)x(Cu2SnSe3)1−x nanocrystals with a metastable zincblende and wurtzite structure

“…121) and has a band gap of around 1.44 eV [20][21][22][23][24][36][37], which is not the optimal band gap value for single junction solar cells [19]. In our paper, Cu 2 SnSe 3 nanocrystals show zincblende and wurtzite structures similar to those of ZnSe, which enables the formation of homogeneously (ZnSe) x (Cu 2 SnSe 3 ) 1 À x nanocrystals over the entire composition range.…”

High-temperature thermoelectric properties and thermal stability in air of copper zinc tin sulfide for the p-type leg of thermoelectric devices

“…17) Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that the small compositional deviation from Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 tends to result in evolution of its binary and ternary sulfides, e.g., ZnS, Cu 2 S, and Cu 2 SnS 3 ; [22][23][24] similar results have been reported in the literature. 25,26) In response to the EDS results, the SXRD data of Sample A was reanalyzed based on the two-phase model assuming the existence of Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 16) and ZnS 27) structures. From this analysis, the mass fraction of ZnS was estimated to be 7%.…”

Classification of Lattice Defects in the Kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 and Cu2ZnSnSe4 Earth‐Abundant Solar Cell Absorbers

“…Phase inhomogeneity is frequently observed in synthesized CZTS and CZTSe samples,4, 11, 41, 45, 46, 49, 107, 108 which is natural considering their narrow stable chemical potential range. This highlights the necessity of careful analysis of the component uniformity in experimental synthesis of the quaternary semiconductors, i.e., excluding the coexistence of binary and ternary secondary compounds, especially for the samples with serious non‐stoichiometry Cu/(Zn+Sn) = 0.8 and Zn/Sn = 1.2.…”