Inexpensive Optimized Cu2ZnSnS4 Absorption Layer Elaborated with a Homemade SILAR Method

Authors B. Benmazouza1, T. Sahraoui1 , M. Adnane1 , N. Hamamousse2, A. Djelloul3, Y. Larbah4, L. Benharrat3
Affiliations

1LMESM, Département de Technologie des Matériaux, Faculté de Physique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf USTO-MB, BP 1505, El M'naouer, 31000 Oran Algérie

2LEPSM, Département de Technologie des Matériaux, Faculté de Physique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d’Oran Mohamed Boudiaf USTO-MB, BP 1505, El M'naouer, 31000 Oran Algérie

3Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-Conducteurs pour l’Energétique ‘CRTSE’, 02 Bd Frantz Fanon, BP 140, 7 Merveilles, Alger, Algérie

4Spectrometry Department, Nuclear Research Center of Algiers-CRNA, 02 Bd. Frantz Fanon BP, 399 Algiers, Algeria

Е-mail bouchra.benmazouza@univ-usto.dz
Issue Volume 15, Year 2023, Number 2
Dates Received 10 January 2023; revised manuscript received 18 April 2023; published online 27 April 2023
Citation B. Benmazouza, T. Sahraoui, M. Adnane, et al., J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 15 No 2, 02004 (2023)
DOI https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.15(2).02004
PACS Number(s) 68.55.Nq, 81.15._z, 42.79.Ek, 61.05.cp
Keywords CZTS thin films, SILAR (6) , Absorber layer, XRD (90) , Kestrite.
Annotation

In this study, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films were synthesized on glass substrates by using homemade successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. Copper (II) Chloride (CuCl2), Zinc (II) Chloride (ZnCl2), Tin (II) Chloride (SnCl2) were used as a cationic precursors and Thiourea (CS(NH2)2) was used as precursor for anions. De-ionized (DI) water was taken as the solvent for both precursors. Few drops of ammonia were added to both solutions in order to ensure the adsorption on the glass substrate. The deposited films were annealed at 200 °C for 1 h in air atmosphere and characterized by X-rays diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry and dielectric spectroscopy. The structural characterization using XRD revealed the formation of the kesterite phase with preferential orientation along (112) plane. Morphological observations from SEM and AFM exhibited uniform and homogenous CZTS thin layer. Optical properties derived from UV-Vis analysis showed that CZTS has a direct band gap of 1.5 eV in the visible range which is close to typical values of an ideal absorber layer. Dielectric impedance measurements showed that CZTS thin film presents an adsorption in the lower frequencies of RF domain which is due to the atomic vibrations in the crystal lattice. The obtained CZTS has the potential to serve as a reliable, economical, and environment-friendly alternative to unstable, expensive and toxic absorber layers for photovoltaic applications.

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