Name: key factors affecting the performance of sb2s3-sensitized solar cells during an sb2s3 deposition via sbcl3-thiourea complex solution-processing
Uploaded: 2018-07-16T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Key Factors Affecting the Performance of Sb2S3-sensitized Solar Cells During an Sb2S3 Deposition via SbCl3-thiourea Complex Solution-processing at JoVE.com

This work was supported by the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) R&#38;D Programs of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea (Grants No. 18-ET-01 and 18-01-HRSS-04).

1. Synthesis of the TiO2-BL Solution
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 2 transparent vials with a 50 mL volume.</li>
	<li>Add 20 mL of ethanol to 1 vial (V1) and seal V1.</li>
	<li>Transfer V1 to an N2-filled glove box with a moisture-controlled system of an H2O level of &#60; 1 ppm.</li>
	<li>Add 1.225 mL of titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) to V1 using a syringe with a 0.45 &#181;m PVDF filter and gently stir the mixture for at least 30 min. 
	NOTE: This step must be performed in a glove box (or...

<ol>
	<li>Choi, Y. C., Lee, D. U., Noh, J. H., Kim, E. K., Seok, S. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Highly+Improved+Sb2S3+Sensitized-Inorganic-Organic+Heterojunction+Solar+Cells+and+Quantification+of+Traps+by+Deep-Level+Transient+Spectroscopy.">Highly Improved Sb2S3 Sensitized-Inorganic-Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells and Quantification of Traps by Deep-Level Transient Spectroscopy.</a> Advanced Functional Materials. 24 (23), 3587-3592 (2014).</li><li>Kim, D. -. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Highly+reproducible+planar+Sb2S3-sensitized+solar+cells+based+on+atomic+layer+deposition.">Highly reproducible planar Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells based on atomic layer deposition.</a> Nanoscale. 6 (23), 14549-14554 (2014).</li><li>Choi, Y. C., Seok, S. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+Sb2S3-Sensitized+Solar+Cells+Via+Single-Step+Deposition+of+Sb2S3+Using+S/Sb-Ratio-Controlled+SbCl3-Thiourea+Complex+Solution.">Efficient Sb2S3-Sensitized Solar Cells Via Single-Step Deposition of Sb2S3 Using S/Sb-Ratio-Controlled SbCl3-Thiourea Complex Solution.</a> Advanced Functional Materials. 25 (19), 2892-2898 (2015).</li><li>Godel, K. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+room+temperature+aqueous+Sb2S3+synthesis+for+inorganic-organic+sensitized+solar+cells+with+5.1%+efficiencies.">Efficient room temperature aqueous Sb2S3 synthesis for inorganic-organic sensitized solar cells with 5.1% efficiencies.</a> Chemical Communications. 51 (41), 8640-8643 (2015).</li><li>Choi, Y. 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C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Efficient+Inorganic-Organic+Heterojunction+Solar+Cells+Employing+Sb2(Sx/Se1-x)3+Graded-Composition+Sensitizers.">Efficient Inorganic-Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells Employing Sb2(Sx/Se1-x)3 Graded-Composition Sensitizers.</a> Advanced Energy Materials. 4 (7), 1301680 (2014).</li><li>Choi, Y. C., Yeom, E. J., Ahn, T. K., Seok, S. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=CuSbS2-Sensitized+Inorganic-Organic+Heterojunction+Solar+Cells+Fabricated+Using+a+Metal-Thiourea+Complex+Solution.">CuSbS2-Sensitized Inorganic-Organic Heterojunction Solar Cells Fabricated Using a Metal-Thiourea Complex Solution.</a> Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 54 (13), 4005-4009 (2015).</li><li>Versavel, M. Y., Haber, J. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Structural+and+optical+properties+of+amorphous+and+crystalline+antimony+sulfide+thin-films.">Structural and optical properties of amorphous and crystalline antimony sulfide thin-films.</a> Thin Solid Films. 515 (18), 7171-7176 (2007).</li><li>Yang, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hydrazine+solution+processed+Sb2S3,+Sb2Se3+and+Sb2(S1-xSex)3+film:+molecular+precursor+identification,+film+fabrication+and+band+gap+tuning.">Hydrazine solution processed Sb2S3, Sb2Se3 and Sb2(S1-xSex)3 film: molecular precursor identification, film fabrication and band gap tuning.</a> Scientific Reports. 5, 10978 (2015).</li><li>Peng, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Systematic+investigation+of+the+role+of+compact+TiO2+layer+in+solid+state+dye-sensitized+TiO2+solar+cells.">Systematic investigation of the role of compact TiO2 layer in solid state dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells.</a> Coordination Chemistry Reviews. 248 (13-14), 1479-1489 (2004).</li><li>Chen, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Accelerated+Optimization+of+TiO2/Sb2Se3+Thin+Film+Solar+Cells+by+High-Throughput+Combinatorial+Approach.">Accelerated Optimization of TiO2/Sb2Se3 Thin Film Solar Cells by High-Throughput Combinatorial Approach.</a> Advanced Energy Materials. 7 (20), 1700866 (2017).</li><li>Sung, S. -. 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TiO2-BL is widely used as a hole-blocking layer in solar cells. As shown in Figure 2, a large difference was observed in the device performance depending on the TiO2-BL thickness. Therefore, its thickness should be optimized to obtain the best overall device performance, because it critically acts as a hole-blocking layer to prevent any direct contact between FTO and hole-transporting materials11. It should be noted that the optimum thickness var...

Antimony-based chalcogenides (Sb-Chs), including Sb2S3, Sb2Se3, Sb2(S,Se)3, and CuSbS2, are considered to be emerging materials that can be used in next-generation solar cells1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. However, photovoltaic devices based on Sb-Chs light absorbers have not yet reached the 10% power conversion efficiency (PCE) required to demonstrate feasible commercialization.
To overcome these limitations, various methods and techniques have been applied, such as a thioacetamide-induced surface treatment1, a room temperature deposition method4, an atomic layer deposition technique2, and the use of colloid dot quantum dots6. Among these various methods, the solution-processing based on a chemical bath decomposition exhibited the highest performance1. However, a precise control of the chemical reaction and the post-treatment are required to achieve the best performance1,3.
Recently, we developed a simple solution-processing for high-performance Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells using a SbCl3-thiourea (TU) complex solution3. Using this method, we were able to fabricate a quality Sb2S3 with a controlled Sb/S ratio, which was applied to a solar cell to achieve a comparable device performance of 6.4% PCE. We were also able to effectively reduce the processing time since the Sb2S3 was fabricated by a single-step deposition.
In this work, we describe the detailed experimental procedure for an Sb2S3 deposition on the substrate consisting of mesoporous TiO2 (mp-TiO2)/TiO2 blocking layer (TiO2-BL)/F-doped SnO2 (FTO) glass for the fabrication of Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells via SbCl3-TU complex solution-processing3. In addition, three key factors affecting the photovoltaic performance in the course of an Sb2S3 deposition were identified and discussed. The concept of the method can be easily applied to other sensitizer-type solar cells based on metal sulfides.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="847">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:316px;">Ethyl alcohol, Pure, &#62;99.5%</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">459836</td>
			<td style="width:176px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Titanium(IV) isopropoxide 97%</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">205273</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Nitic acid, ACS reagent, 70%</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">438073</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Antimony(III) chloride</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">311375</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Thiourea</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">T7875</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:316px;">N,N-Dimethylformamide, anhydrous, 99.8%</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">227056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">TiO2 paste with 50 nm particles</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">ShareChem</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">SC-HT040</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Poly(3-hexylthiophene)</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">1-Material</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">PH0148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Chlorobenzene</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">284513</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">FTO/glass (8 Ohmos/sq)</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">Pilkington</td>
			<td style="width:129px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Spin coater</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">DONG AH TRADE CORP</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">ACE-200</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Hot plate</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">AS ONE Corporation</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">HHP-411</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Glove box</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">KIYON</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">KK-021AS</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">UV OZONE Cleaner</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">AHTECH LTS</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">AC-6</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">Furnace</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">WiseTherm</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">FP-14</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:316px;">UV/Vis Absorption spectroscopy</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">PerkinElmer</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">Lambda 750</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:316px;">Multifunctional evaporator with glove box</td>
			<td style="width:227px;">DAEDONG HIGH TECHNOLOGIES</td>
			<td style="width:129px;">DDHT-SDP007</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

key factors affecting the performance of sb2s3-sensitized solar cells during an sb2s3 deposition via sbcl3-thiourea complex solution-processing

Sb2S3 is considered as one of the emerging light absorbers that can be applied to next-generation solar cells because of its unique optical and electrical properties. Recently, we demonstrated its potential as next-generation solar cells by achieving a high photovoltaic efficiency of &#62; 6% in Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells using a simple thiourea (TU)-based complex solution method. Here, we describe the key experimental procedures for the deposition of Sb2S3 on a mesoporous TiO2 (mp-TiO2) layer using a SbCl3-TU complex solution in the fabrication of solar cells. First, the SbCl3-TU solution is synthesized by dissolving SbCl3 and TU in N,N-dimethylformamide at different molar ratios of SbCl3:TU. Then, the solution is deposited on as-prepared substrates consisting of mp-TiO2/TiO2-blocking layer/F-doped SnO2 glass by spin coating. Finally, to form crystalline Sb2S3, the samples are annealed in an N2-filled glove box at 300 &#176;C. The effects of the experimental parameters on the photovoltaic device performance are also discussed.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the experimental procedure for the Sb2S3 deposition on the substrate of mp-TiO2/TiO2-BL/FTO glass. Figure 1d shows the basic properties and scheme of a typical product fabricated by the method described herein. The main X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern is well matched with that of a stibnite Sb2S3 structure<sup class="xre...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Key Factors Affecting the Performance of Sb2S3-sensitized Solar Cells During an Sb2S3 Deposition via SbCl3-thiourea Complex Solution-processing at JoVE.com

Key Factors Affecting the Performance of Sb2S3-sensitized Solar Cells During an Sb2S3 Deposition via SbCl3-thiourea Complex Solution-processing

This work provides a detailed experimental procedure for the deposition of Sb2S3 on a mesoporous TiO2 layer using a SbCl3-thiourea complex solution for applications in Sb2S3-sensitized solar cells. This article also determines key factors governing the deposition process.

Key Factors Affecting the Performance of Sb2S3-sensitized Solar Cells During an Sb2S3 Deposition via SbCl3-thiourea Complex Solution-processing

Sb2S3 is considered as one of the emerging light absorbers that can be applied to next-generation solar cells because of its unique optical and electrical ...

This method can help answer key questions in the next generation's research field.Such as, sensitize architectural base through our cells.The main advantage of this technique is that it is a simple solution process for fabrication of high pheromones carrying through our cells.Demonstrating the procedure will be Eunjeong Hwang, on our seasonal researcher from our laboratory.First, add 20 milometers of ethanol to a 15 milliliter vial containing a magnetic stir bar and seal the vial.Transfer the vial to a nitrogen-filled glove box with a moisture controlled system.Using a syringe with a 0.45 micron PVDF filter, add 1.225 milliliters of titanium isopropoxide to the vial and gently stir the mixture for at least 30 minutes.In a second 50 milliliter vial containing a magnetic stir bar, add 20 milliliters of ethanol, 18 microliters of 70%nitric acid, and 138 microliters of water.Gently stir the mixture for at least 30 minutes.After removing the first vial from the glove box, mix the two solutions by pouring the nitric acid solution into the titanium isopropoxide solution.Stir for more than two hours to obtain the transparent 0.1 molar titanium dioxide blocking layer solution.Inside the glove box, prepare an antimony trichloride stock solution by mixing one millimole of antimony trichloride with one millimeter of DMF.Add a proper amount of the stock solution to a vial containing a given amount of thiourea to achieve the desired molar ratio of antimony trichloride and thiourea.Wash a 25 x 25 millimeter FTO coated glass in an ultrasonic bath with acetone for 10 minutes.After washing with ethanol, instantly dry the FTO glass by blowing compressed air over the sample.Next, treat the FTO glass with a UV ozone cleaner for 20 minutes.After cleaning, spin coat ethanol on the FTO glass at 5, 000 RPM for 60 seconds.Immediately spin coat again with the prepared titanium dioxide blocking layer solution at 5, 000 RPM for 60 seconds.Try the FTO glass on a preheated hot plate at 200

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