title: Surfactant-free CZTS nanoparticles as building blocks for low-cost solar cell absorbers.
abstract: A process route for the fabrication of solvent-redispersible, surfactant-free Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) nanoparticles has been designed with the objective to have the benefit of a simple sulfide source which advantageously acts as (i) a complexing agent inhibiting crystallite growth, (ii) a surface additive providing redispersion in low ionic strength polar solvents and (iii) a transient ligand easily replaced by an carbon-free surface additive. This multifunctional use of the sulfide source has been achieved through a fine tuning of ((Cu²⁺)(a)(Zn²⁺)(b)(Sn⁴⁺)(c)(Tu)(d)(OH⁻)(e))(t⁺), Tu = thiourea) oligomers, leading after temperature polycondensation and S²⁻ exchange to highly concentrated (c > 100 g l⁻¹), stable, ethanolic CZTS dispersions. The good electronic properties and low-defect concentration of the sintered, crack-free CZTSe films resulting from these building blocks was shown by photoluminescence investigation, making these building blocks interesting for low-cost, high-performance CZTSe solar cells.
authors.affiliation: CNRS-UPS-INPT, CIRIMAT, Université de Toulouse, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zaberca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oftinger
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chane-Ching
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Datas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lafond
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puech
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balocchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lagarde
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Marie