Selective removal of Cu2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin films

Alexandre H. Pinto; Seung Wook Shin; Eray S. Aydil; R. Lee Penn

doi:10.1039/c6gc01287f

Selective removal of Cu_2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ thin films

Alexandre H. Pinto, Seung Wook Shin, Eray S. Aydil, R. Lee Penn

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The selective removal of Cu_2-x(S,Se) impurity phases from Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ (CZTSSe) and Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) thin films is a major barrier to achieving high efficiencies in solar cells based on these films. A toxic and hazardous potassium cyanide (KCN) solution is commonly used as a selective etchant to remove Cu_2-x(S,Se) from CZTSSe and CIGS thin films. Herein, we report the selective removal of Cu_2-x(S,Se) compounds from kesterite CZTSSe thin films using a mixture of ethylenediamine and 2-mercaptoethanol, a safer chemical mixture than KCN. We found that Cu_2-xS and kesterite CZTS nanocrystals dissolve in this mixture in seconds and 6 hours, respectively, while wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals do not dissolve even after 6 hours. Etching CZTSSe thin films containing small amounts of Cu_2-x(S,Se) phases for 20 minutes removes the Cu_2-x(S,Se) phases completely.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	5814-5821
Number of pages	8
Journal	Green Chemistry
Volume	18
Issue number	21
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c6gc01287f
State	Published - 2016

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title = "Selective removal of Cu2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin films",

abstract = "The selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) impurity phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films is a major barrier to achieving high efficiencies in solar cells based on these films. A toxic and hazardous potassium cyanide (KCN) solution is commonly used as a selective etchant to remove Cu2-x(S,Se) from CZTSSe and CIGS thin films. Herein, we report the selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) compounds from kesterite CZTSSe thin films using a mixture of ethylenediamine and 2-mercaptoethanol, a safer chemical mixture than KCN. We found that Cu2-xS and kesterite CZTS nanocrystals dissolve in this mixture in seconds and 6 hours, respectively, while wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals do not dissolve even after 6 hours. Etching CZTSSe thin films containing small amounts of Cu2-x(S,Se) phases for 20 minutes removes the Cu2-x(S,Se) phases completely.",

author = "Pinto, {Alexandre H.} and Shin, {Seung Wook} and Aydil, {Eray S.} and Penn, {R. Lee}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1039/c6gc01287f",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "18",

pages = "5814--5821",

journal = "Green Chemistry",

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T1 - Selective removal of Cu2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin films

AU - Pinto, Alexandre H.

AU - Shin, Seung Wook

AU - Aydil, Eray S.

AU - Penn, R. Lee

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - The selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) impurity phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films is a major barrier to achieving high efficiencies in solar cells based on these films. A toxic and hazardous potassium cyanide (KCN) solution is commonly used as a selective etchant to remove Cu2-x(S,Se) from CZTSSe and CIGS thin films. Herein, we report the selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) compounds from kesterite CZTSSe thin films using a mixture of ethylenediamine and 2-mercaptoethanol, a safer chemical mixture than KCN. We found that Cu2-xS and kesterite CZTS nanocrystals dissolve in this mixture in seconds and 6 hours, respectively, while wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals do not dissolve even after 6 hours. Etching CZTSSe thin films containing small amounts of Cu2-x(S,Se) phases for 20 minutes removes the Cu2-x(S,Se) phases completely.

AB - The selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) impurity phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films is a major barrier to achieving high efficiencies in solar cells based on these films. A toxic and hazardous potassium cyanide (KCN) solution is commonly used as a selective etchant to remove Cu2-x(S,Se) from CZTSSe and CIGS thin films. Herein, we report the selective removal of Cu2-x(S,Se) compounds from kesterite CZTSSe thin films using a mixture of ethylenediamine and 2-mercaptoethanol, a safer chemical mixture than KCN. We found that Cu2-xS and kesterite CZTS nanocrystals dissolve in this mixture in seconds and 6 hours, respectively, while wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals do not dissolve even after 6 hours. Etching CZTSSe thin films containing small amounts of Cu2-x(S,Se) phases for 20 minutes removes the Cu2-x(S,Se) phases completely.

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DO - 10.1039/c6gc01287f

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SN - 1463-9262

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EP - 5821

JO - Green Chemistry

JF - Green Chemistry

IS - 21

ER -

Selective removal of Cu_2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ thin films

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Selective removal of Cu2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin films

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Bibliographical note

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MRSEC IRG-2: Sustainable Nanocrystal Materials

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Selective removal of Cu_2-:X(S,Se) phases from Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ thin films