SnS thin film solar cells with Zn1-xMgxO buffer layers

The conduction band offset (CBO) of SnS as the light absorbing layer and Zn1-xMgxO as the buffer layer in SnS thin film solar cells has been optimized to improve the solar cell conversion efficiency. We controlled the CBO experimentally by varying the Mg content (x) of the Zn1-xMgxO layer. The optimum CBO value range for improved solar cell performance was determined to be from -0.1 to 0 eV. A SnS thin film solar cell sample with the optimum CBO value exhibited conversion efficiency of approximately 2.1%. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.