Solution-processed antimony chalcogenides based thin film solar cells: A brief overview of recent developments

• Solution based techniques for antimony sulfide and selenide absorber layer. • Recent developments antimony sulfoselenide based thin-film solar cells. • Various strategies employed to improve the performance & future perspectives. The search for an ideal absorber layer in thin-film solar cells seems to be a never-ending task. Apart from the solar absorber characteristics, antimony chalcogenide materials are gaining research interest predominantly due to their ribbon orientation and bandgap tunability in the entire solar spectrum. However, the challenges with open-circuit voltage deficit and low fill factor of solar cell devices remain unresolved. The reported highest power conversion efficiency with antimony chalcogenide absorber stays at 10.7%, where the absorber is made using a solution based hydrothermal synthesis method. In this mini-review, the latest developments related to solution-derived antimony chalcogenide absorber-based solar cells and the different strategies employed for improvements are presented in detail. With emphasis on the recent developments in the hydrothermal deposition of antimony chalcogenide absorber layer, the opportunities available to further enhance its properties through bandgap engineering and controlling the crystal orientation are discussed.