Towards all inorganic antimony sulphide semitransparent solar cells.

NiO, a wide band gap hole-transporting material (HTM), is gaining attention in photovoltaics due to its optical transparency, chemical stability, and favourable band alignment with absorber. This study uses NiO nanoparticle-based HTM in semi-transparent SbS solar cells via a simple chemical precipitation method. We optimised NiO layer by varying precursor solution concentration and studied its impact on optical and structural properties, composition of nanoparticles and subsequent effect on the performance of semi-transparent SbS solar cell.

Development of spray pyrolysis-synthesised BiO thin films for photocatalytic applications.

Photocatalysis is a green and cost-effective approach to environmental remediation. While TiO is considered one of the benchmark photocatalysts, alternative materials such as BiO have recently attracted increasing scientific attention as prospective visible light photocatalysts. This study aimed to develop a strategy for BiO thin film deposition ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and systematically study process variables for the deposition of β-BiO thin films for photocatalytic applications.

SbS Thin-Film Solar Cells Fabricated from an Antimony Ethyl Xanthate Based Precursor in Air.

The rapidly expanding demand for photovoltaics (PVs) requires stable, quick, and easy to manufacture solar cells based on socioeconomically and ecologically viable earth-abundant resources. SbS has been a potential candidate for solar PVs and the efficiency of planar SbS thin-film solar cells has witnessed a reasonable rise from 5.77% in 2014 to 8% in 2022.

4.9% Efficient SbS Solar Cells from Semitransparent Absorbers with Fluorene-Based Thiophene-Terminated Hole Conductors.

Fluorene-based hole transport materials (HTMs) with terminating thiophene units are explored, for the first time, for antimony sulfide (SbS) solar cells. These HTMs possess largely simplified synthesis processes and high yields compared to the conventional expensive hole conductors making them reasonably economical. The thiophene unit-linked HTMs have been successfully demonstrated in ultrasonic spray-deposited SbS solar cells resulting in efficiencies in the range of 4.

Synthesis Control of Charge Separation at Anatase TiO Thin Films Studied by Transient Surface Photovoltage Spectroscopy.

For the efficient photocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants at surfaces of semiconductors, photogenerated holes shall be separated toward the surface and transferred to reactive surface sites, whereas the transfer of photogenerated electrons toward the surface shall be minimized. In this Research Article, the identification of suitable synthesis control of charge separation combined with an in-depth understanding of charge kinetics and trapping passivation mechanisms at the related surfaces can provide tremendous opportunities for boosting the photocatalytic performance. In this work, a comprehensive transient surface photovoltage spectroscopy study of charge separation at anatase TiO thin films, synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis from titanium(IV) isopropoxide (TTIP)-acetylacetone (AcacH) based precursor is reported.

A post-deposition annealing approach for organic residue control in TiO and its impact on SbSe/TiO device performance.

We report a systematic investigation on the influence of two-step post-deposition treatments (PDTs) on TiO buffer layers deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) for emerging SbSe photovoltaics. Air annealing is a typical method for recrystallizing chemically deposited TiO films. However, organic residues (such as carbon species) from a precursor solution based on titanium tetraisopropoxide and acetylacetone may still remain on the TiO surface, therefore requiring an additional annealing step.

Pulsed laser deposition of Zn(O,Se) layers in nitrogen background Pressure.

Zinc oxy-selenide Zn(O,Se) is a novel material, that can replace the toxic CdS buffer layer in thin film solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. In this paper a systematic study of the structural, optical and electrical properties of Zn(O,Se) layers, grown by pulsed laser deposition under 50 mTorr of nitrogen background pressure, over a wide range of the substrate temperature, from RT to 600 °C, is reported. XRD, Raman, HR-SEM, XPS, UV-Vis techniques and Hall effect measurements have been used to investigate the structural, and optoelectronic properties of Zn(O,Se) layers.

Postdeposition Processing of SnS Thin Films and Solar Cells: Prospective Strategy To Obtain Large, Sintered, and Doped SnS Grains by Recrystallization in the Presence of a Metal Halide Flux.

Postdeposition treatments (PDTs) are common technological approaches to achieve high-efficiency chalcogenide solar cells. For SnS, a promising solar cell material, most PDT strategies to control the SnS properties are overwhelmingly based on an annealing in sulfur-containing ambient atmosphere that is described by condensed-state reactions and vapor-phase transport. In this work, a systematic study of the impact of PDTs in a N atmosphere, ampules at temperatures between 400 and 600 °C, and a SnCl treatment at 250-500 °C on the properties of SnS films and SnS/CdS solar cells prepared by close-spaced sublimation is reported.