Sulfosalts — A new class of compound semiconductors for photovoltaic applications

A short historical outline of sulfosalts with respect to their mineralogical origin and their possible technical applications is given. The high number of more than 200 species results from their chemical and structural definition. The modular crystal structures of sulfosalt compounds base on superstructures of diverse construction units. Physical properties of mineral samples as well as deposited thin films show promising results with respect to photovoltaic application. As a proof of concept, first sulfosalt thin film solar cells were prepared. The efficiency of this cell is reported to be 1%. Further efforts will be done to improve efficiency.