Development of a new thin film composition for SnS solar cell

• New thin film composition for tin sulfide solar cell n-Zn(O,S)/p-SnS.
• Main SnS layer made by sulfurization of the electrodeposited Sn film.
• SnS and Zn(O,S) prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction.
• Structure and optical properties of the obtained layers investigated.
• Diode and electronic parameters of n-Zn(O,S)/p-SnS analyzed.

The work is devoted to the development of a new thin film composition for SnS solar cell based on semiconductor heterojunction n-Zn(O,S)/p-SnS by the combination of two low-cost liquid methods, namely electrodeposition and Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR). Structure and optical properties of the obtained layers have been investigated. The p-SnS absorber is fabricated by combining the two methods. The creation of the main SnS film was carried out by sulfurization of the electrodeposited Sn thin film. The elimination of the shunt leakage was made by SILAR deposition of nanocrystalline SnS into pores of the main SnS. All SnS films are single-phase and consisted of tin monosulfide with orthorhombic structure of Herzenbergite. Wide band gap and transparent buffer layer n-Zn(O,S) is created by air annealing of ZnS thin film prepared by SILAR. Series and shunt resistances as well as a height of the rectifying barrier of this n-Zn(O,S)/p-SnS heterostructure were investigated due dark current–voltage characteristics. The diode and electronic parameters of this new thin film composition is superior ones for the obtained by using tin sulfide absorber produced only by SILAR.

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