Fabrication of the SnS/ZnO heterojunction for PV applications using electrodeposited ZnO films

Abstract

In the perspectives of fabricating a nontoxic and low-cost photovoltaic system, SnS has recently received considerable interest as a potential solar cell material. However, doped or undoped CdS has been extensively studied as a window material with p-SnS for the fabrication of a heterojunction solar cell. Because of the carcinogenic character of CdS, there is a prevailing need to search for an alternative window layer and scrutinize the performance of the heterojunction with p-SnS. In this work ZnO thin films were fabricated onto ITO using a galvanostatic electrodeposition approach from the dimethyl sulfoxide bath. The as-deposited ZnO films were subsequently annealed at 400 °C in argon ambiance to reduce the intermediate trap states and effective sintering. Finally, SnS thin films were grown onto the ZnO layer by thermally evaporating high-purity SnS powder. The photovoltaic properties of the SnS/ZnO heterojunction were investigated.