Copper-based ternary and quaternary semiconductor nanoplates : templated synthesis, characterization, and photoelectrochemical properties

• Main Authors: Li, Hai, Wu, Xue-Jun, Huang, Xiao, Qi, Xiaoying, Li, Bing, Zhang, Hua
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science & Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Microelectronics and semiconductor materials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/105242; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/20513
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Two-dimensional (2D) copper-based ternary and quaternary semiconductors are promising building blocks for the construction of efficient solution-processed photovoltaic devices at low cost. However, the facile synthesis of such 2D nanoplates with well-defined shape and uniform size remains a challenge. Reported herein is a universal template-mediated method for preparing copper-based ternary and quaternary chalcogenide nanoplates, that is, CuInS2, CuInxGa1−xS2, and Cu2ZnSnS4, by using a pre-synthesized CuS nanoplate as the starting template. The various synthesized nanoplates are monophasic with uniform thickness and lateral size. As a proof of concept, the Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoplates were immobilized on a Mo/glass substrate and used as semiconductor photoelectrode, thus showing stable photoelectrochemical response. The method is general and provides future opportunities for fabrication of cost-effective photovoltaic devices based on 2D semiconductors.