Kesterite Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Solar Cells with beyond 8% Efficiency by a Sol–Gel and Selenization Process

A facile sol–gel and selenization process has been demonstrated to fabricate high-quality single-phase earth abundant kesterite Cu₂ZnSn­(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) photovoltaic absorbers. The structure and band gap of the fabricated CZTSSe can be readily tuned by varying the [S]/([S] + [Se]) ratios via selenization condition control. The effects of [S]/([S] + [Se]) ratio on device performance have been presented. The best device shows 8.25% total area efficiency without antireflection coating. Low fill factor is the main limitation for the current device efficiency compared to record efficiency device due to high series resistance and interface recombination. By improving film uniformity, eliminating voids, and reducing the Mo­(S,Se)₂ interfacial layer, a further boost of the device efficiency is expected, enabling the proposed process for fabricating one of the most promising candidates for kesterite solar cells.