Efficient Sb2S3 solar cells employing favorable (Sb4S6)n ribbon orientation via hydrothermal method

Sb2S3 is a promising photoactive material that has attracted extensive research attention, owing to its excellent optical and electrical properties. Sb2S3 has a one-dimensional ribbon structure, and the growth direction of the ribbons significantly changes the carrier transport characteristics of the Sb2S3 thin-film, thereby influencing the performance of Sb2S3 photoelectric devices. In this study, Sb2S3 thin-films are successfully prepared using hydrothermal synthesis. By adjusting the hydrothermal temperature, Sb2S3 thin-films realized the preferred change of orientations: from (hk0) to (hk1). When the hydrothermal temperature is 140 °C, the Sb2S3 thin-film exhibits (2 2 1) and (2 1 1) preferential growth. The device parameters of Sb2S3 solar cells based on (hk1)-oriented Sb2S3 thin-film are effectively improved compared with those based on (hk0)-oriented Sb2S3 thin-film, and their power conversion efficiency reaches 5.56%. This study may provide guidance for the hydrothermal synthesis of Sb2S3 optoelectronic materials and devices with desirable preferred orientations.