The effect of the sulfur on the purity and the crystallization of Cu2ZnSnS4 compound

The effect of sulfur (S) content on the purity, stability and crystallization of Cu2ZnSnS4 material has been investigated. It was found that, for an excess sulfur starting concentration from 3 wt% to 12 wt%, high purity Cu2ZnSnS4 single phase compound could be obtained. In this sulfur range composition, Cu2ZnSnS4 alloy has been synthetized and vertically well textured along melt flow. Depending on the sulfur starting composition, binary SnS and ternary Cu4Sn7S16 phases can be precipitated and their concentration is connected to the initial sulfur quantity in the starting charge.