Abstract

Thin films of tin sulphide for use in thin film solar cell devices

Author(s): Aadarsh Mishra

SnS is of interest for use as an absorber layer and the wider energy bandgap phases e.g. SnS2, Sn2S3 and Sn/S/O alloys of interest as Cd-free buffer layers for use in thin film solar cells. In this work thin films of tinsulphide have been thermally evaporated onto soda–lime glass substrates with the aim of optimising theproperties of the material for use in superstrate configuration device structures. The thin films were characterised using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) to determine the film composition, Xraydiffraction (XRD) to determine the phases present and structure of each phase, transmittance versuswavelength measurements to determine the energy bandgap and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe the surface topology and topography. These properties were then correlated to the depositionparameters. Using the optimised conditions it is possible to produce thin films of tin sulphide that arepinhole free and conformal to the substrate that are suitable for use in thin film solar cell structures.