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The strong Ti-O bonds in TiO2 and poor compatibility with Sb2Se3 result in poor performance when used as electron transport layers (ETL) for Sb2Se3 solar cells. Therefore, cadmium sulfide is usually used as a buffer layer to improve its compatibility. In the present work, we deposited a layer of CdS by spin coating method on TiO2 ETL and fabricated TiO2/CdS dual ETL. The CdS layer improved the electronic properties of TiO2 and grain orientation of Sb2Se3 thin films. As a result, the average short circuit current and fill factor of Sb2Se3 solar cells were improved, and the final champion power conversion efficiency was enhanced from 2.6% to 4.71%. This study supplied a route for the application of titanium dioxide as a broad band gap electron transfer material for Sb2Se3 solar cells. Highlights: We adopt a facile spin-coating method to fabricated CdS buffer layer on TiO2 electron transport layer. The CdS buffer layer altered the orientation of Sb2Se3 film and enhanced its performance. The champion PCE of Sb2Se3 solar cells was enhanced to 4.71% from 2.60% by inserting the CdS buffer layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 is commonly used as electron transport layers (ETL) for Sb2S3 solar cells. Since its poor compatibility, CdS is usually adopted as buffer layer to enhance the performance. Herein, we prepared TiO2 ETL with a commonly spin-coating method first, and then we deposited CdS on the TiO2 ETL with a facile spin coating method to construct TiO2/CdS double ETL. The spin coating processed CdS is found to exhibit flake morphology, which improved the electronic properties of TiO2 and the grain morphology of Sb2S3 films. The CdS buffer layers by spin coating process were found to afford a unique pathway for electron transport thus enhancing electron extraction. As a result, large Jsc was obtained in the Sb2S3 solar cells on the CdS buffered ETL. A champion PCE of 5.59% was obtained. This work develops a facile and relatively environmentally friendly method to fabricate effective TiO2/CdS ETL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured CdS thin films are fabricated by a simple spin‐coating method at various annealing temperatures from 200 to 350 °C. CdS films of 80 nm thick, which are composed of nanoparticles or flakes with size ≈20–200 nm, are obtained. The nanostructured morphology is identified by scanning electron microscopy measurement. Sb2S3 films with large‐sized grains are deposited on the CdS thin films with hydrothermal method, in which CdS is adopted as electron transport layer (ETL) for Sb2S3 solar cells. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) is 4.88% for the best solar cell based on nanostructured CdS ETLs. Herein, a very facile and effective route to fabricate nanostructured CdS buffer layer for Sb2S3 solar cells is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sb 2 S 3 has been paid extensive attentions as absorber for solar cells. Comparing with some oxides, CdS exhibits excellent compatibility to Sb 2 S 3 therefore is most commonly used as buffer layer (BL) materials for Sb 2 S 3 solar cells. Proper passivation can enhance the performance of CdS buffer layer thus raising the performances of Sb 2 S 3 solar cells. Herein, we put forward a self-passivation strategy to enhance the performance of CdS by a two-step deposition process to fabricate the self-passivated CdS BL. First, we adopted spin coating combined with annealing process to prepare flaked CdS on FTO, then we performed passivation process to the CdS by depositing another layer of CdS with chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. After Sb 2 S 3 was deposited on the self-passivated CdS by hydrothermal method, a solar cell with FTO/CdS (∼90 nm)/Sb 2 S 3 (160 nm)/Spiro-OMeTAD(48 nm)/Ag(32 nm)structure was obtained by deposition of hole transport layer and Ag electrodes. Comparing with the single spin-coating processed CdS BL or single chemical bath deposited CdS BL, the self-passivated CdS presents better performance. The CBD process presents distinctive passivation effects to the first layer. In consequence, we obtained the highest PCE of 6.04 % in the Sb 2 S 3 solar cells on the self-passivated CdS BL. The present work supplies a unique route to enhance the performances of CdS buffer layer. In the present work, we adopted a spin-coating method to prepare CdS buffer layer for Sb 2 S 3 solar cells. CdS film composed of CdS flake was obtained by spin-coating combined with annealing process. Since its high defect density, we processed passivation process by depositing another layer of CdS by CBD method. As a result, the grain size of CdS was enhanced and defects were substantially reduced by the passivation process. We called it "self-passivation" process. The Sb 2 S 3 solar cells based of the self-passivated CdS was substantially enhanced. Our work supplied an effective route to prepare CdS buffer layer for Sb 2 S 3 solar cells. The main process procedure sees the following figure. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]