Synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 Solar Cell Absorber Material by Sol-gel Method

Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films on Mo and/or ITO covered glass substrates were prepared by dip coating method using methanol as solvent for CuCl2, ZnCl2, SnCl2 and CH4N2S as precursors. The influence of pre-annealing and post annealing conditions as well as the influence of used substrate on the morphology, phase composition and elemental composition of the resulting films was studied. It was found that thin films deposited onto Mo and ITO substrates and pre-annealed at 240oC in nitrogen atmosphere and post heated at 550oC showed Raman dominating peak at 338 cm-1 characteristic to Cu2ZnSnS4. These films were continuous, with good crystallinity and they had near-stoichiometric composition.