Effect of the Thickness and Sb-O Content in Sb₂S₃ Thin Films to the Solar Cell Efficiency

Herein, Sb2S3 thin films are successfully prepared by hydrothermal method using the mixing solution of SbCl3 and sodium citrate as a novel Sb source. The influence of the growth temperature and time, growth solution volume on the properties of Sb2S3 thin films, and the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solar cells is systematically investigated. The results reveal that the thickness and Sb-O content in Sb2S3 thin films decrease with the increase of the growth temperature and growth solution volume and decrease of the growth time. When the chemical composition and volume of the growth solution are 120mM SbCl3, 276mM sodium citrate, 180mM Na2S2O3, 60mM thioacetamide, and 28 mL, and the growth temperature and time are 150 degrees C and 2 h, the thickness and molar ratios of Sb-O:Sb-S/O in Sb2S3 thin films are 295 nm and 0.14 and the corresponding solar cells achieve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.36%, which is the highest PCE in Sb2S3 solar cells using hydrothermal method. Therefore, the effect of the growth temperature and time, specially the growth solution volume, on the thickness and Sb-O content in Sb2S3 thin films is important for improving the PCE of Sb2S3 solar cells.