Alternative methods to fabricate and evaluate copper zinc tin sulfide based absorber layers on transparent conducting electrodes

This study is focused on fabrication and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films on transparent conducting substrate. CZTS films were synthesized using solution based methods. A specially designed sequential and single stage electrochemical method as well as spin coating method was used to grow layers of precursors. Deposition of constituent metallic layers was carried out on SnO2/F (Fluorinated tin oxide or FTO) coated glass substrates. The electrodeposited/spin coated layers were annealed in a sulfur environment to obtain CZTS. Structural, morphological and optical characterization experiments were performed using several techniques including x-ray diffraction, Raman and UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. All characterization experiments indicated the films are single phase with a measured direct band gap of ~1.5 eV. Photocurrent response of CZTS film grown on FTO substrate was measured using alternating front illumination and rear illumination in a Eu3+/Eu2+ solution environment. The photoelectrochemical response exhibited during rear illumination is comparable to that obtained for front illumination. The promising photocurrent data for CZTS films suggest these films have potential application in a variety of photovoltaic devices. A comparative study revealed that photoelectrochemical response exhibited by the films grown on molybdenum substrate is greater than that obtained for film grown on FTO substrate. A modified form of the Gartner model to explain J-V characteristics for CZTS-electrolyte solution has been proposed. Fundamental information such as energy band gap-temperature relationship and temperature dependent study of Raman ‘A' mode for CZTS thin films were also investigated in this research.