Antimony sulfide selenide thin film solar cells with comparable characteristics prepared via a choice of chemical deposition or vacuum thermal evaporation

Antimony sulfide selenide solar cells, FTO/CdS/Sb 2 S x1 Se 3-x1 /Sb 2 S x2 Se 3-x2 /graphite-Ag, of above 5 % conversion efficiency ( η ), open circuit voltage ( V OC ) 0.45 V and short circuit current density ( J SC ) 24 mA cm – 2 , were obtained for Sb 2 S x Se 3-x (160–350 nm) of variable bandgap ( E g ) 1.25–1.5 eV prepared by chemical deposition (CD) or thermal evaporation (TE). Commercial SnO 2 :F (FTO) was coated first with a CdS thin film. For CD - Sb 2 S x Se 3-x absorbers, selenosulfate and thioacetamide were at a molar ratio 0.1:3 for the first deposition, and 1:3 in the second deposition (film thickness, 160 nm). In TE, Sb 2 Se 3 -Sb 2 S 3 was in 1:3 ratio in the first crucible, and distinct in the second (film thickness, 300 nm). CD-Solar cells had η , 5.2 %, J SC 23.6 mA cm – 2 and V OC of 0.41 V and the TE-solar cells, 5.75 %, 24.5 mA cm – 2 and 0.45 V, respectively. Thus, Sb 2 S x Se 3-x of variable E g provides a higher V OC and conserves J SC . • Sb 2 S x Se 3-x cells (thickness 160 nm) by chemical deposition have efficiency 5.2 %. • These cells made by vacuum thermal evaporation (thickness 300 nm) are of 5.75 %. • The choice of technique facilitates innovation to improve solar cell performance. • Variable bandgap absorbers reported here help attain higher open circuit voltage.