Low-cost hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of pentanary Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticle inks for thin film solar cell applications

Babu, Sahaya Dennish G and Shajan, Sahaya X and George, Alphy and Parameswaran, P and Murugesan, S and Divakar, R and Mohandas, E and Kumaresan, S and Rao, Mohan G (2017) Low-cost hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of pentanary Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticle inks for thin film solar cell applications. In: MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING, 63 . pp. 127-136.

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Abstract

In the present investigation, Cu-2(ZnxNi1-x)SnS4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by facile and low-cost hydrothermal method for different concentration of x=1, 0.75, 0.50, 0.25, 0 at 190 degrees C for 24 h. The probable reaction mechanism for the formation of Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticles is reported. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultra violet-visible (UV-vis) spectrometric studies. The phase pure kesterite and stannite structures of synthesized nanoparticles were confirmed by XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis. The structural transition from tetragonal kesterite copper zinc tin sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4 - CZTS) to stannite Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 (x=0) occurs in the Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 samples with nickel concentration (x) in the range of 0.25-1. The results of SEM and TEM show the morphological features of the prepared Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticles. The optical band gaps of the prepared Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticles were reduced from 1.63 eV (x=1) to 1.36 eV (x=0). It falls well within the suitable band gap range of absorber materials to be useful for thin film solar cell applications. Photoresponse behavior of Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 (x=1 and 0.75) thin films under dark and light illumination indicates the potential of Cu2ZnxNi1-xSnS4 nanoparticles as an alternate absorber material in low-cost thin film solar cells applications.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING
Publisher:	ELSEVIER SCI LTD, THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, OXON, ENGLAND
Additional Information:	Copy right for this article belongs to the ELSEVIER SCI LTD, THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, OXON, ENGLAND
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Instrumentation Appiled Physics
Date Deposited:	20 May 2017 05:57
Last Modified:	21 Feb 2019 11:29
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/56932

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