Work

TiO 2 Electron Transport Layers Through Photonic Curing for Sb 2 Se 3 Solar Cells

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is one of the most used electron transport layers (ETLs) in antimony selenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) solar cells. However, high‐temperature sintering step limits the choice of substrates and overall device fabrication flexibility. This study investigates the impact of photonic curing (PC) on the performance of TiO 2 ETLs in Sb 2 Se 3 superstrate solar cells. TiO 2 thin films were deposited via spin coating and subsequently annealed using the PC technique, a method previously unexplored in the context of Sb 2 Se 3 solar cells. The photovoltaic performance of these devices was compared with conventional thermally annealed TiO 2 . Thermally annealed TiO 2 demonstrated an average power conversion efficiency of 4.1%, whereas PC TiO 2 achieved 3.2%. While PC resulted in a slightly reduced efficiency, it presents a rapid, scalable alternative to conventional annealing, potentially reducing processing time and energy consumption. The findings highlight PC as a promising technique for future advancements in thin‐film solar cell fabrication.

Source: Solar RRL

DOI: 10.1002/solr.202500711

Authors: Udari Wijesinghe, Giulia Longo, Prabeesh Punathil, Vincent Barrioz, Oliver S. Hutter

Institutions: Northumbria University, Universitat Politècnica de València

Language: English

Topic: Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,640