title: Photoelectrochemical characterization of nanocrystalline thin-film Cu₂ZnSnS₄ photocathodes.
abstract: Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) nanocrystals, synthesized by a hot injection solution method, have been fabricated into thin films by dip-casting onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. The photoresponse of the CZTS nanocrystal films was evaluated using absorbance measurements along with photoelectrochemical methods in aqueous electrolytes. Photoelectrochemical characterization revealed a p-type photoresponse when the films were illuminated in an aqueous Eu(3+) redox electrolyte. The effects of CZTS stoichiometry, film thickness, and low-temperature annealing on the photocurrents from front and back illumination suggest that the minority carrier diffusion and recombination at the back contact (via reaction of photogenerated holes with Eu(2+) produced from photoreduction by minority carriers) are the main loss mechanisms in the cell. Low-temperature annealing resulted in significant increases in the photocurrents for films made from both Zn-rich and stoichiometric CZTS nanocrystals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States.
authors.forename: Shannon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Riha
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fredrick
authors.forename: Justin B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sambur
authors.forename: Yuejiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Parkinson
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D004566:Electrodes; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; D017971:Tin Compounds; C078041:tin sulfide; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc