A review on energy economics and the recent research and development in energy and the Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells: A focus towards efficiency

As per the present energy economics and environmental status, use of renewable energy resources is essential. The development of solar cell technology is from the first generation silicon solar cell to the emerging fourth generation “Inorganics-in-Organic” solar cell. Various solar absorber compounds have been used for 2D solar cell manufacturing such as CdTe, Cu2InGaS4 (CIGS), CIGSSe, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) and CZTSSe. These compounds have more or less conversion efficiencies with some advantages and drawbacks. To overcome the drawbacks and achieve higher conversion efficiency, the efforts have been devoted. With some physical and chemical parametric changes, researchers have got better results in the last ten years. In this review, the present research and development on the Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film in the request of high efficiency solar cells is discussed. The effect of various structural and compositional change in the CZTS, different buffer layers with their interfaces, doping into the host material, partial substitution of the elements from the host, different synthesis and post treatments are thoroughly studied. In the last, the challenges regarding to improve conversion efficiency of CZTS solar cells and there future in the solar cell application are discussed.