Copper-doped tin sulphide thin film for solar cell material

• Main Authors: Bachiran, Bakhtiar Ridhwan, Wan Shamsuri, Wan Nurulhuda, Hashim, Muhamad Faiz, Ahmed, Rashid, Deraman, Karim, Hussin, Rosli
• Format: Article
• Published: Persatuan Sains dan Teknologi Keadaan Pepejal Malaysia 2016
• Subjects: Q Science
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/66656/; http://journal.masshp.net/vol-24-no-1-2-2016/
• Institution: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

The increasing human population has caused the demand for energy in society to escalate . The least dependency on fossil fuels and global concern are the drive factors for mankind to focus on green technology, especially in renewable energy. Many scientists believe that the sun is a suitable source to overcome the energy crisis by a way out that could harvest the solar energy . In this regard, photovoltaics (PV) or solar cell technology is considered to be a right option. However. the efficiency of the device is mainly concerned with the appropriate choice of the material . This study focuses on to search for a suitable thin-film solar cell (TFSC) material for absorber layer. Recently, tin SUlphide (SnS) is proposed as a promising material for absorber layer. In this work, thermally evaporated thin films of SnS with different weight percentage of copper as adopant has been deposited onto a glass substrate and then annealed in a vacuum environment. The effect of Cu-doping on the physical properties is determined using xray diffraction while the optical properties are analyzed using ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy.