Current Enhancement via a TiO2 Window Layer for CSS Sb2Se3 Solar Cells: Performance Limits and High V oc

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is an emerging chalcogenide photovoltaic absorber material that has been the subject of increasing interest in recent years, demonstrating rapid efficiency increases with a material that is simple, abundant, and stable. This paper examines the material from both a theoreti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of photovoltaics 2019-03, Vol.9 (2), p.544-551
Main Authors: Phillips, Laurie J., Savory, Christopher N., Hutter, Oliver S., Yates, Peter J., Shiel, Huw, Mariotti, Silvia, Bowen, Leon, Birkett, Max, Durose, Ken, Scanlon, David O., Major, Jonathan D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorbers (materials)
Antimony
Antimony compounds
Cadmium sulfide
Efficiency
Energy conversion efficiency
Open circuit voltage
Photovoltaic cells
Rhubarb
Selenides
Solar cells
Sublimation
Titanium dioxide
Toxicity
Viability
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Summary:Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) is an emerging chalcogenide photovoltaic absorber material that has been the subject of increasing interest in recent years, demonstrating rapid efficiency increases with a material that is simple, abundant, and stable. This paper examines the material from both a theoretical and practical standpoint. The theoretical viability of Sb2Se3 as a solar photovoltaic material is assessed and the maximum spectroscopically limited performance is estimated, with a 200 nm film expected to be capable of achieving a photon conversion efficiency of up to 28.2%. By adapting an existing CdTe close-spaced sublimation (CSS) process, Sb2Se3 material with large rhubarb-like grains is produced and solar cells are fabricated. We show that the established CdS window layer is unsuitable for use with CSS, due to intermixing during higher temperature processing. Substituting CdS with the more stable TiO2, a power conversion efficiency of 5.5% and an open-circuit voltage V oc of 0.45 V are achieved; the voltage exceeding current champion devices. This paper demonstrates the potential of CSS for scalable Sb2Se3 deposition and highlights the promise of Sb2Se3 as an abundant and low-toxicity material for solar applications.
ISSN:2156-3381
2156-3403
DOI:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2018.2885836