TY - JOUR

T1 - Macroscopic versus microscopic photovoltaic response of heterojunctions based on mechanochemically prepared nanopowders of kesterite and n-type semiconductors

AU - Dimitriev, Oleg P.

AU - Grynko, Dmytro O.

AU - Fedoryak, Alexander N.

AU - Doroshenko, Tamara

AU - Kratzer, Markus

AU - Teichert, Christian

AU - Noskov, Yuri

AU - Ogurtsov, Nicolai

AU - Pud, Alexander

AU - Balaz, Peter

AU - Balaz, Matej

AU - Tesinsky, Matej

PY - 2017/12/7

Y1 - 2017/12/7

N2 - Mechanochemically prepared nanopowder of selenium-free kesteriteCu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) in combination with n-type semiconductors, i.e., CdS, ZnO andTiO2, was tested in planar and bulk-heterojunction solar cells. The samples have beenstudied by macroscopic current-voltage (I-V) measurements and Kelvin-probe atomicforce microscopy (KPFM). KPFM images taken under light illumination showed thedistribution of the potential across the surface, with negative potential on the n-typesemiconductor domains and positive potential on the CZTS domains, which indicatedcharge separation at the interface of the counterparts. The best result was found for theCdS-CZTS composition, which showed a potential difference between the domains up to250 mV. These results were compared with the planar heterojunctions of CdS/CZTS andTiO2/CZTS, where CZTS nanopowder was pressed/deposited directly onto the surface offilms of the corresponding n-type semiconductors. Again, I-V characteristics showed thatcells based on CdS/CZTS heterojunctions have the best performance, with aphotovoltage up to 200 mV and photocurrent densities up to 0.1 mA/cm2. However, thecarrier generation was found to occur mainly in the CdS semiconductor, while CZTSshowed no photo-response and served as the hole-transporting layer only. It is concludedthat sensitization of the kesterite powder obtained by mechanochemical method isnecessary to improve the performance of the corresponding solar cells.

AB - Mechanochemically prepared nanopowder of selenium-free kesteriteCu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) in combination with n-type semiconductors, i.e., CdS, ZnO andTiO2, was tested in planar and bulk-heterojunction solar cells. The samples have beenstudied by macroscopic current-voltage (I-V) measurements and Kelvin-probe atomicforce microscopy (KPFM). KPFM images taken under light illumination showed thedistribution of the potential across the surface, with negative potential on the n-typesemiconductor domains and positive potential on the CZTS domains, which indicatedcharge separation at the interface of the counterparts. The best result was found for theCdS-CZTS composition, which showed a potential difference between the domains up to250 mV. These results were compared with the planar heterojunctions of CdS/CZTS andTiO2/CZTS, where CZTS nanopowder was pressed/deposited directly onto the surface offilms of the corresponding n-type semiconductors. Again, I-V characteristics showed thatcells based on CdS/CZTS heterojunctions have the best performance, with aphotovoltage up to 200 mV and photocurrent densities up to 0.1 mA/cm2. However, thecarrier generation was found to occur mainly in the CdS semiconductor, while CZTSshowed no photo-response and served as the hole-transporting layer only. It is concludedthat sensitization of the kesterite powder obtained by mechanochemical method isnecessary to improve the performance of the corresponding solar cells.

U2 - 10.15407/spqeo20.04.418

DO - 10.15407/spqeo20.04.418

M3 - Article

VL - 20.2017

SP - 418

EP - 423

JO - Semiconductor Physics, Quantum Electronics & Optoelectronics

JF - Semiconductor Physics, Quantum Electronics & Optoelectronics

SN - 1560-8034

IS - 4

ER -