Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> Thin-Film Solar Cells Exceeding 10% Power Conversion Efficiency Enabled by Injection Vapor Deposition Technology.

Duan, Zhaoteng; Liang, Xiaoyang; Feng, Yang; Ma, Haiya; Liang, Baolai; Wang, Ying; Luo, Shiping; Wang, Shufang et al. · Adv Mater · 2022

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Binary Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> semiconductors are promising as the absorber materials in inorganic chalcogenide compound photovoltaics due to their attractive anisotropic optoelectronic properties. However, Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> solar cells suffer from complex and unconventional intrinsic defects due to the low symmetry of the quasi-1D crystal structure resulting in a considerable voltage deficit, which limits the ultimate power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, the creation of compact Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> films with strong [00l] orientation, high crystallinity, minimal deep level defect density, fewer trap states, and low non-radiative recombination loss by injection vapor deposition is reported. This deposition technique enables superior films compared with close-spaced sublimation and coevaporation technologies. The resulting Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> thin-film solar cells yield a PCE of 10.12%, owing to the suppressed carrier recombination and excellent carrier transport and extraction. This method thus opens a new and effective avenue for the fabrication of high-quality Sb<sub>2</sub> Se<sub>3</sub> and other high-quality chalcogenide semiconductors.