Morphological insights into Se-driven charge transport and enhanced performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells

Yeeun Lee; Hongjae Shim; Mingrui He; Kaiwen Sun; Mohammad Moein Seyfouri; Lei Wang; Jan Seidel; Chen Qian; Xiaojing Hao; Jae Sung Yun

doi:10.1039/D5TA05469A

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Morphological insights into Se-driven charge transport and enhanced performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells

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Morphological insights into Se-driven charge transport and enhanced performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells

Yeeun Lee, Hongjae Shim, Mingrui He, Kaiwen Sun, Mohammad Moein Seyfouri, Lei Wang, Jan Seidel, Chen Qian, Xiaojing Hao and Jae Sung Yun

Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability

2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5TA05469A

Abstract

Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 is a promising absorber for thin-film photovoltaics (PVs), yet its power conversion efficiency (PCE) remains limited. A key challenge lies in understanding the irregular grain morphology commonly found in these films, with their morphology-dependent electronic properties not being fully elucidated. Here, we investigate how Se incorporation alters grain structure and electronic properties in hydrothermally grown Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 films. Selenium suppresses grain coalescence, yielding spherical-shaped grains (SGs) with increased grain boundary (GB) density. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) reveals enhanced charge separation at GBs and reduced trap-assisted recombination in Se-incorporated films. Stress simulations confirm that Se incorporation alleviates stress inhomogeneity. Nanoscale local I – V mapping indicates enhanced photocurrent near SGs, consistent with improved charge transport. Devices with Se-incorporated films achieve a PCE of 9.5% and FF of 65.5%. These findings demonstrate that moderate Se incorporation tailors microstructure and GB band structure, contributing to enhanced PV performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 .

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Title: Morphological insights into Se-driven charge transport and enhanced performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells
Creators: Yeeun Lee - School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Hongjae Shim - UNSW Sydney
Mingrui He - UNSW Sydney
Kaiwen Sun - UNSW Sydney
Mohammad Moein Seyfouri - School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, X-Ray Facilities, Mark Wainwright Analytical Center, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Lei Wang - School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Jan Seidel - School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Chen Qian - Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Xiaojing Hao - UNSW Sydney
Jae Sung Yun - Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK
Publication Details: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability
Publication Date: 2025
Identifiers: 991034658702346
Academic Unit: School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Morphological insights into Se-driven charge transport and enhanced performance in Sb 2 (S,Se) 3 solar cells

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