Small grain size and near-horizontal grain boundaries are known to be detrimental to the carrier collection efficiency and device performance of pure-sulfide Cu2 ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells. However, forming large grains spanning the absorber layer while maintaining high electronic quality is challenging particularly for pure sulfide CZTS. Herein, a liquid-phase-assisted grain growth (LGG) model that enables the formation of large grains spanning across the CZTS absorber without compromising the electronic quality is demonstrated. By introducing a Ge-alloyed CZTS nanoparticle layer at the bottom of the sputtered precursor, a Cu-rich and Sn-rich liquid phase forms at the high temperature sulfurization stage, which can effectively remove the detrimental near-horizontal grain boundaries and promote grain growth, thus greatly improving the carrier collection efficiency and reducing nonradiative recombination. The remaining liquid phase layer at the rear interface shows a high work function, acting as an effective hole transport layer. The modified morphology greatly increases the short-circuit current density and fill factor, enabling 10.3% efficient green Cd-free CZTS devices. This work unlocks a grain growth mechanism, advancing the morphology control of sulfide-based kesterite solar cells.
Keywords: Cd-free; Kesterite solar cells; carrier collection; grain growth; hole transport.
© 2022 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.