Electrodeposited CZTS solar cells from Reline electrolyte

Abstract

This work is the first report of using a deep eutectic solvent named Reline as a green electrolyte to electrodeposit CZTS films for photovoltaic applications. This is successfully achieved by co-electrodepositing Cu–Zn–Sn precursor thin films in Reline and sulfurizing the Cu–Zn–Sn precursors in a mixture of H₂S and N₂ at 550 °C for 1 h. The CZTS films are uniform and compact on a microscopic scale, which translates to a benign photoresponse of the CZTS solar cell. Photovoltaic devices were prepared from the films and an efficiency of 3.87% has been achieved. The device performance indicates that Reline is a viable green solvent for the electrodeposition of CZTS thin film solar cells in a low cost way.