A non-vacuum solution route to prepare amorphous metal oxides thin films for Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells

A facile non-vacuum solution route is proposed to fabricate Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)(4) (CZTSSe) absorbers. The secure sulfur and selenium-free precursor solution was prepared by dissolving copper (II) acetate, zinc acetate (II) and tin (IV) chloride in ethanol solution without the conditions of heating and vacuum. An amorphous metal oxides thin film was obtained by spin coating method. Dense and compact CZTSSe thin film with good crystallization and large grains formed by sulfurizing and selenizing the amorphous metal oxides thin film. CZTSSe thin film solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 4.8 +/- 0.5% were fabricated with the structure glass/Mo/CZTSSe/CdS/i-ZnO/Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO)/Ag. The method provides a novel thought to acquire high power conversion efficiency CZTSSe thin film solar cells via sulfurizing and selenizing non-toxic and stable amorphous metal oxides thin films. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.