Semitransparent Sb2S3 Thin Film Solar Cells by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis for Use In Solar Windows

Authors

Jako S. Eensalu, Tallinn University of Technology
Atanas Katerski, Tallinn University of Technology
Erki Kärber, Tallinn University of Technology
Lothar Weinhardt, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Monika Blum, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Clemens Heske, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Wanli Yang, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Ilona Oja Acik, Tallinn University of Technology
Malle Krunks, Tallinn University of Technology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-6-2019

Publication Title

Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

Volume

10

First page number:

2396

Last page number:

2409

Abstract

The integration of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy in zero-energy buildings requires durable and efficient solar windows composed of lightweight and semitransparent thin film solar cells. Inorganic materials with a high optical absorption coefficient, such as Sb2S3 (>105 cm−1 at 450 nm), offer semitransparency, appreciable efficiency, and long-term durability at low cost. Oxide-free throughout the Sb2S3 layer thickness, as confirmed by combined studies of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and synchrotron soft X-ray emission spectroscopy, semitransparent Sb2S3 thin films can be rapidly grown in air by the area-scalable ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. Integrated into a ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/Au solar cell, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.5% at air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) is achieved, which is a record among spray-deposited Sb2S3 solar cells. An average visible transparency (AVT) of 26% of the back-contact-less ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3 solar cell stack in the wavelength range of 380–740 nm is attained by tuning the Sb2S3 absorber thickness to 100 nm. In scale-up from mm2 to cm2 areas, the Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells show a decrease in efficiency of only 3.2% for an 88 mm2 Sb2S3 solar cell, which retains 70% relative efficiency after one year of non-encapsulated storage. A cell with a PCE of 3.9% at 1 sun shows a PCE of 7.4% at 0.1 sun, attesting to the applicability of these solar cells for light harvesting under cloud cover.

Keywords

Antimony Sulfide; Semitransparent Solar Cells; Solar Windows; Thin Films; Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis

Disciplines

Chemistry | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Language

English

Repository Citation

Eensalu, J. S., Katerski, A., Kärber, E., Weinhardt, L., Blum, M., Heske, C., Yang, W., Acik, I. O., Krunks, M. (2019). Semitransparent Sb2S3 Thin Film Solar Cells by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis for Use In Solar Windows. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 10 2396-2409.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.10.230