Photovoltaic structures using AgSb(S x Se1−x )2 thin films as absorber

Photovoltaic structures were prepared using AgSb(SxSe1−x)2 as absorber and CdS as window layer at various conditions via a hybrid technique of chemical bath deposition and thermal evaporation followed by heat treatments. Silver antimony sulfo selenide thin films [AgSb(SxSe1−x)2] were prepared by heating multilayers of sequentially deposited Sb2S3/Ag dipped in Na2SeSO3 solution, glass/Sb2S3/Ag/Se. For this, Sb2S3 thin films were deposited from a chemical bath containing SbCl3 and Na2S2O3. Then, Ag thin films were thermally evaporated on glass/Sb2S3, followed by selenization by dipping in an acidic solution of Na2SeSO3. The duration of dipping was varied as 3, 4 and 5 h. Two different heat treatments, one at 350 °C for 20 min in vacuum followed by a post-heat treatment at 325 °C for 2 h in Ar, and the other at 350 °C for 1 h in Ar, were applied to the multilayers of different configurations. X-ray diffraction results showed the formation of AgSb(SxSe1−x)2 thin films as the primary phase and AgSb(S,Se)2 and Sb2S3 as secondary phases. Morphology and elemental detection were done by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies showed the depthwise composition of the films. Optical properties were determined by UV–vis–IR transmittance and reflection spectral analysis. AgSb(SxSe1−x)2 formed at different conditions was incorporated in PV structures glass/FTO/CdS/AgSb(SxSe1−x)2/C/Ag. Chemically deposited post-annealed CdS thin films of various thicknesses were used as window layer. J–V characteristics of the cells were measured under dark and AM1.5 illumination. Analysis of the J–V characteristics resulted in the best solar cell parameters of Voc = 520 mV, Jsc = 9.70 mA cm−2, FF = 0.50 and η = 2.7 %.