Novel Ag-based thin film solar cells: concept, materials, and challenges

Xiaobei Li; Junjie Fu; Dandan Zhao; Chaoliang Zhao; Yanru Guo; Manying Liu; Zhi Zheng

doi:10.1039/d2cp04213d

Novel Ag-based thin film solar cells: concept, materials, and challenges

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2022 Dec 7;24(47):28662-28679. doi: 10.1039/d2cp04213d.

Authors

Xiaobei Li^{1

2}, Junjie Fu², Dandan Zhao², Chaoliang Zhao², Yanru Guo², Manying Liu², Zhi Zheng²

Affiliations

¹ Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, P. R. China.
² Key Laboratory for Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, College of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Henan 461000, P. R. China. fujunjie@xcu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36444533
DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04213d

Abstract

Novel Ag-based thin film solar cells have attracted extensive attention in recent years in the photovoltaic (PV) field due to their outstanding properties like a high light absorption coefficient, low toxicity, abundance, and an appropriate band gap. The emerging Ag-based thin film materials such as Ag₂S, AgBiS₂, Ag₃CuS₂, AgInS₂, AgBiSe₂, Ag₂ZnSnS₄, Ag(In_1-x,Ga_x)Se₂, Ag_aBi_bI_c, Cs₂AgBiBr₆, and Cu₂AgBiI₆ are becoming ideal materials for light absorbing layers in the new generation of PV devices. Although the efficiency of ATFSCs has improved significantly in recent years, it is much lower than those of other PV devices. The relatively low efficiency of ATFSCs is mainly caused by structural defects such as poor crystallinity, voids, and instability which occur during the preparation of light absorbing layers. This paper defines the concept and classification of Ag-based materials and introduces in detail a thin film preparation method by overcoming structural defects. Finally, the vision of achieving high-efficiency ATFSCs by improving structural defects is proposed.

Publication types

Review