Synthesis of wurtzite Cu2ZnSnS4 thin films directly on glass substrates by the solvothermal method

•CZTS thin films were prepared on glass substrates by a solvothermal method firstly.•The crystal structure of the CZTS thin films possesses the wurtzite structure.•The morphology shows sheet-like particles with orientation in the direction.•The idea band gap (Eg=1.5 eV) was obtained.

Wurtzite Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) thin films were prepared directly on glass substrates by the solvothermal method firstly. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis–NIR absorbance spectroscopy measurements show that the CZTS thin films exhibit a large amount of uniform and sheet-like particles with orientation in the direction, high optical absorption coefficient (>104 cm−1) in the visible wavelength region and idea band gap (Eg=1.5 eV), which are suitable for solar cell applications of thin films.