PO Tetrahedron Assisted Chelate Engineering for 10.67%-Efficient Antimony Selenosulfide Solar Cells.

Anisotropic carrier transport and deep-level defect of antimony selenosulfide (Sb(S,Se)) absorber are two vital auses restraining the photovoltaic performance of this emerging thin-film solar cell. Herein, chelate engineering is proposed to prepare high-quality Sb(S,Se) film based on hydrothermal deposition approach, which realizes desirable carrier transport and passivated defects by using tetrahedral PO ion in dibasic sodium phosphate (NaHPO, DSP). The PO Lewis structure, on one hand in the form of [(SbO)(PO)] chelate, can adsorb on the polar planes of cadmium sulfide (CdS) layer, promoting the heterogeneous nucleation, and on the other hand, the tetrahedral PO inhibits horizontal growth of (SbS(e)) ribbons due to size effects, thus achieving desirable [hk1] orientation.

Dual back interface engineering optimized charge carrier dynamics in Sb(S,Se) photocathodes for efficient solar hydrogen production.

Antimony sulfoselenide (Sb(S,Se)) is a promising sunlight absorber material for solar energy conversion in photovoltaic (PV) cells and photoelectrochemical (PEC) photoelectrodes due to its excellent photoelectric properties. However, the obtained thin-film and back contact properties significantly influence the PEC performance of photocathodes, causing severe bulk recombination, carrier transport loss, and deteriorating half-cell solar-to-hydrogen (HC-STH) efficiency. This study introduces an intriguing dual back interface engineering strategy for Sb(S,Se) photocathodes by incorporating an intermediate MoO layer and a secondary carrier transport channel of Au to strengthen charge carrier dynamics.

Correction: Chen et al. Tellurium Doping Inducing Defect Passivation for Highly Effective Antimony Selenide Thin Film Solar Cell. 2023, , 1240.

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Energy Band Alignment and Defect Synergistic Regulation Enable Air-Solution-Processed Kesterite Solar Cells With the Lowest V Deficit.

The major challenge in preparing high-performance CuZnSn(S,Se) solar cells is the large open circuit voltage deficit (V-def). A new strategy utilizing the synergistic substitution of Ag and In dual cations has been proposed to simultaneously address the problems of undesirable interface band alignment and high-density detrimental bulk defects, obtaining decreased carrier recombination rate and increased minority carrier lifetime. The shorter In-S/Se bonds move the CBM higher by generating stronger repulsive force than the Sn-S/Se bonds, thus adjusting the interface band alignment.

Optimization of Thermoelectric Performance of AgTe Films via a Co-Sputtering Method.

Providing self-powered energy for wearable electronic devices is currently an important research direction in the field of thermoelectric (TE) thin films. In this study, a simple dual-source magnetron sputtering method was used to prepare AgTe thin films, which exhibit good TE properties at room temperature, and the growth temperature and subsequent annealing process were optimized to obtain high-quality films. The experimental results show that films grown at a substrate temperature of 280 °C exhibit a high power factor (PF) of ~3.

Rapid Thermal-Driven Crystal Growth and Defect Suppression in Antimony Selenide Thin Film for Efficient Solar Cells.

Antimony selenide (SbSe) has demonstrated considerable potential and advancement as a light-absorbing material for thin-film solar cells owing to its exceptional optoelectronic characteristics. However, challenges persist in the crystal growth, particularly regarding the nucleation mechanism during pre-selenization process for SbSe. The defects originating from this process significantly impact the quality of the absorber layer, leading to the degradation in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the device.

Achieving High Thermoelectric Performance in Bi(Te, Se) Thin Film with (00)-Oriented by Incorporating Tellurization and Selenization Processes.

Flexible thermoelectric (TE) generators have received great attention as a sustainable and reliable option to convert heat from the human body and other ambient sources into electricity. This study provides a synthesis route that involves thermally induced diffusion to introduce Te and Se into Bi, fabricating an n-type Bi-Te-Se flexible thin film on a flexible substrate. This specific synthesis alters the crystal orientation (00) of the thin film, improving in-plane electrical transportation and optimizing carrier concentration.

Two-Dimensional Polarized Blue P/SiS Heterostructures as Promising Photocatalysts for Water Splitting.

Two-dimensional (2D) polarized heterostructures with internal electric fields are potential photocatalysts for high catalytic performance. The Blue P/SiS van der Waals heterostructures were formed from monolayer Blue P and polar monolayer SiS with different stacking interfaces, including Si-P and P-S interfaces. The structural, electronic, optical and photocatalytic properties of the Blue P/SiS heterostructures were studied via first-principle calculations.

Deviceization of high-performance and flexible AgSe films for electronic skin and servo rotation angle control.

AgSe shows significant potential for near-room-temperature thermoelectric applications, but its performance and device design are still evolving. In this work, we design a novel flexible AgSe thin-film-based thermoelectric device with optimized electrode materials and structure, achieving a high output power density of over 65 W m and a normalized power density up to 3.68 μW cm K at a temperature difference of 42 K.

Optimization of Thermoelectric Properties and Physical Mechanisms of CuSe-Based Thin Films via Heat Treatment.

CuSe is an attractive thermoelectric material due to its layered structure, low cost, environmental compatibility, and non-toxicity. These traits make it a promising replacement for conventional thermoelectric materials in large-scale applications. This study focuses on preparing CuSe flexible thin films through in situ magnetron sputtering technology while carefully optimizing key preparation parameters, and explores the physical mechanism of thermoelectric property enhancement, especially the power factor.

Effective Non-Radiative Interfacial Recombination Suppression Scenario Using Air Annealing for Antimony Triselenide Thin-Film Solar Cells.

Antimony triselenide (SbSe) has become a very promising candidate for next-generation thin-film solar cells due to the merits of their low-cost, low-toxic and excellent optoelectronic properties. Despite SbSe thin-film photovoltaic technology having undergone rapid development over the past few years, insufficient doping concentration and severe recombination have been the most challenging limitations hindering further breakthroughs for the SbSe solar cells. Post-annealing treatment of the SbSe/CdS heterojunction was demonstrated to be very helpful in improving the device performance previously.

Analysis of Carrier Transport at ZnSnO/Absorber Interface in Sb(S,Se) Solar Cells.

This work explores the effect of a ZnSnO (ZTO) layer as a potential replacement for CdS in Sb(S,Se) devices. Through the use of Afors-het software v2.5, it was determined that the ZTO/Sb(S,Se) interface exhibits a lower conduction band offset (CBO) value of 0.

Modulating the Structure and Optoelectronic Properties of Solution-Processed Bismuth-Based Nanocrystals.

Bismuth-based chalcogenides have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation, solution-processable semiconductors, mainly benefiting from their facile fabrication, low cost, excellent stability, and tunable optoelectronic properties. Particularly, the recently developed AgBiS solar cells have shown striking power conversion efficiencies. High performance bismuth-based photodetectors have also been extensively studied in the past few years.

Anion/Cation Co-Doping to Improve the Thermoelectric Performance of Sn-Enriched n-Type SnSe Polycrystals with Suppressed Lattice Thermal Conductivity.

Enhancing the thermoelectric performance of n-type polycrystalline SnSe is essential, addressing challenges posed by elevated thermal conductivity and compromised power factor inherent in its intrinsic p-type characteristics. This investigation utilized solid-state reactions and spark plasma sintering techniques for the synthesis of n-type SnSe. A significant improvement in the figure of merit (ZT) is achieved through strategic reduction in Se concentration and optimization of crystal orientation.

Suppressing Deep-Level Trap Toward Over 13% Efficient Solution-Processed Kesterite Solar Cell.

CuZnSn (S,Se) (CZTSSe), a promising absorption material for thin-film solar cells, still falls short of reaching the balance limit efficiency due to the presence of various defects and high defect concentration in the thin film. During the high-temperature selenization process of CZTSSe, the diffusion of various elements and chemical reactions significantly influence defect formation. In this study, a NaOH-Se intermediate layer introduced at the back interface can optimize CuZnSnS (CZTS)precursor films and subsequently adjust the Se and alkali metal content to favor grain growth during selenization.

Back Interface and Absorber Bulk Deep-Level Trap Optimization Enables Highly Efficient Flexible Antimony Triselenide Solar Cell.

The unique 1D crystal structure of Antimony Triselenide (SbSe) offers notable potential for use in flexible, lightweight devices due to its excellent bending characteristics. However, fabricating high-efficiency flexible SbSe solar cells is challenging, primarily due to the suboptimal contact interface between the embedded SbSe layer and the molybdenum back-contact, compounded by complex intrinsic defects. This study introduces a novel Molybdenum Trioxide (MoO) interlayer to address the back contact interface issues in flexible SbSe devices.

A Deep Dive into CuZnSnS (CZTS) Solar Cells: A Review of Exploring Roadblocks, Breakthroughs, and Shaping the Future.

Renewable energy is crucial for sustainable future, and CuZnSnS (CZTS) based solar cells shine as a beacon of hope. CZTS, composed of abundant, low-cost, and non-toxic elements, shares similarities with Cu(In,Ga)Se (CIGS). However, despite its promise and appealing properties for solar cells, CZTS-based solar cells faces performance challenges owing to inherent issues with CZTS material, and conventional substrate structure complexities.

Suppressing Buried Interface Nonradiative Recombination Losses Toward High-Efficiency Antimony Triselenide Solar Cells.

Antimony triselenide (Sb Se ) has possessed excellent optoelectronic properties and has gained interest as a light-harvesting material for photovoltaic technology over the past several years. However, the severe interfacial and bulk recombination obviously contribute to significant carrier transport loss thus leading to the deterioration of power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, buried interface and heterojunction engineering are synergistically employed to regulate the film growth kinetic and optimize the band alignment.

(Bi,Sb) Se Alloy Thin Film for Short-Wavelength Infrared Photodetector and TFT Monolithic-Integrated Matrix Imaging.

Short-wavelength infrared photodetectors play a significant role in various fields such as autonomous driving, military security, and biological medicine. However, state-of-the-art short-wavelength infrared photodetectors, such as InGaAs, require high-temperature fabrication and heterogenous integration with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) readout circuits (ROIC), resulting in a high cost and low imaging resolution. Herein, for the first time, a low-cost, high-performance, high-stable, and thin-film transistor (TFT) ROIC monolithic-integrated (Bi,Sb) Se alloy thin-film short-wavelength infrared photodetector is reported.

High-Performance Thermoelectric Flexible AgSe-Based Films with Wave-Shaped Buckling via a Thermal Diffusion Method.

Herein, an n-type AgSe thermoelectric flexible thin film has been fabricated on a polyimide (PI) substrate via a novel thermal diffusion method, and the thermoelectric performance is well-optimized by adjusting the pressure and temperature of thermal diffusion. All of the AgSe films are beneficial to grow (013) preferred orientations, which is conducive to performing a high Seebeck coefficient. By increasing the thermal diffusion temperature, the electrical conductivity can be rationally regulated while maintaining the independence of the Seebeck coefficient, which is mainly attributed to the increased electric mobility.

Electron Transport Layer Engineering Induced Carrier Dynamics Optimization for Efficient Cd-Free Sb Se Thin-Film Solar Cells.

Antimony selenide (Sb Se ) is a highly promising photovoltaic material thanks to its outstanding optoelectronic properties, as well as its cost-effective and eco-friendly merits. However, toxic CdS is widely used as an electron transport layer (ETL) in efficient Sb Se solar cells, which largely limit their development toward market commercialization. Herein, an effective green Cd-free ETL of SnO is introduced and deposited by atomic layer deposition method.

Cadmium-Free Kesterite Thin-Film Solar Cells with High Efficiency Approaching 12.

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer is commonly used in Kesterite Cu ZnSn(S,Se) (CZTSSe) thin film solar cells. However, the toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and perilous waste, which is generated during the deposition process (chemical bath deposition), and the narrow bandgap (≈2.4 eV) of CdS restrict its large-scale future application.

Charge Transport Enhancement in BiVO Photoanode for Efficient Solar Water Oxidation.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting in a pH-neutral electrolyte has attracted more and more attention in the field of sustainable energy. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO) is a highly promising photoanode material for PEC water splitting. Additionally, cobaltous phosphate (CoPi) is a material that can be synthesized from Earth's rich materials and operates stably in pH-neutral conditions.