Issue 6, 2014

Towards low-cost, environmentally friendly printed chalcopyrite and kesterite solar cells

Abstract

Solution-processed organic and inorganic semiconductors offer a promising path towards low-cost mass production of solar cells. Among the various material systems, solution processing of multicomponent inorganic semiconductors offers considerable promise due to their excellent electronic properties and superior photo- and thermal stability. This review surveys the recent developments of “all solution-processed” copper–indium (–gallium)-chalcogenide (CuInS2, CuInSe2 and Cu(In, Ga)(Se, S)2) chalcopyrites and copper–zinc–tin-chalcogenide (Cu2ZnSnS4 and Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTS(e))) kesterite solar cells. A brief overview further addresses some of the most critical material aspects and associated loss mechanisms in chalcopyrite and kesterite devices. Today's state-of-the-art performance as well as future challenges to achieve low-cost and environmentally friendly production is discussed.

Graphical abstract: Towards low-cost, environmentally friendly printed chalcopyrite and kesterite solar cells

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
27 Nov 2013
Accepted
05 Mar 2014
First published
05 Mar 2014
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Energy Environ. Sci., 2014,7, 1829-1849

Towards low-cost, environmentally friendly printed chalcopyrite and kesterite solar cells

H. Azimi, Y. Hou and C. J. Brabec, Energy Environ. Sci., 2014, 7, 1829 DOI: 10.1039/C3EE43865A

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