Photovoltaic efficiencies of microwave and Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) superstrate solar cells

Organic and inorganic materials such as perovskites, copper indium gallium diselenide, cadmium telluride, and copper zinc tin sulfide/selenide (CZTS/Se) have been employed to capture unlimited sunlight through the photovoltaic effect. CZTS/Se is regarded as the most promising, most environ-mentally friendly, most abundant candidate with high absorption coefficient and tunable bandgap for the generation of solar energy. Superstrate architectures have numerous advantages over the substrate ar-chitectures and for this reason; it offers a promising route for producing solar cells at a relatively low cost. This article reviews the state-of-the-art knowledge on the synthesis, crystal structure, electronic properties, defects, and secondary phases of CZTS. The CZTS solar cell device architecture and mechanism of the substrate and superstrate configurations were also covered in the review. The preparation of superstrate CZTS via vacuum and non-vacuum methods, as well as their photovoltaic efficiencies were critically discussed. The microwave synthesis and characterization of CZTS nanoparticles were also reviewed with respect to the effect of temperature, surfactant, and reagents on the physical properties of the nanomaterials. The application of microwave-synthesized CZTS nanoparticles in the advancement of thin film solar cells was also critically examined. Finally, the challenges and the prospects of CZTS solar cells were also presented. (c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This article provides a comprehensive review of the synthesis, characteristics, and application of copper zinc tin sulfide/selenide (CZTS/Se) in thin film solar cells. CZTS/Se is considered the most promising, environmentally friendly, and abundant candidate for solar energy generation due to its high absorption coefficient and tunable bandgap. The article discusses the device architecture and mechanism of CZTS solar cells, as well as the preparation of CZTS via vacuum and non-vacuum methods and their photovoltaic efficiencies. It also reviews the microwave synthesis and characterization of CZTS nanoparticles and their application in thin film solar cells, while addressing the challenges and prospects of CZTS solar cells.