Photovoltaic cells based on chemically deposited p-type SnS

The aim of this work is to attract the attention of the scientific workers in the field of PV conversion of solar energy to SnS polycrystalline thin film as a candidate for construction of cheap solar cells, since it posseses similar photoelectric properties as polycrystalline silicon, but it can be produced on any kind of substrate, by simple, economic and environmentally approved technique. By the use of the method of chemical deposition from two separate solutions, complete preparation of three types of cells was done. All of them use SnS as base absorbing layer, with a difference in the window layer electrode. The first one has CdO, the second one has Cd2SnO4 thin film window electrode, both prepared by the chemical deposition method. The third cell was purely Schottky barrier cell in which the window electrode was SnO2:F, prepared by spray pyrolysis. The I-V, C-T/and spectral characteristics were registered and the conclusion was drawn that the best performances has shown the cells with Cd2SnO4 film as a window electrode. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.