title: Efficient thermolysis route to monodisperse Cu₂ZnSnS₄ nanocrystals with controlled shape and structure.
abstract: Monodisperse Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals with tunable shape, crystalline phase, and composition are synthesized by efficient thermolysis of a single source precursor of mixed metal-oleate complexes in hot organic solvents with dissolved sulfur sources. Suitable tuning of the synthetic conditions and the Cu/(Zn + Sn) ratio of the precursor has enabled precise control of the crystalline phase in the form of kesterite, or a newly observed wurtzite structure. Nanocrystals with morphology in the form of spherical, rice-like, or rod-like shapes are obtained over a wide range of compositions (0.5 ≤ Cu/(Zn + Sn) ≤ 1.2). Both the final products and intermediates for each shape exhibit consistent composition and structure, indicating homogenous nucleation and growth of single-phase nanocrystals. Thin films prepared from colloidal nanocrystal suspensions display interesting shape-dependent photoresponse behavior under white light illumination from a solar simulator.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guobiao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chenyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zha
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Materials for Information Technology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States.
authors.forename: Arunava
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ningzhong
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bao