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Structural, optical, and hole transport properties of earth-abundant chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) nanocrystals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2018

Ebin Bastola Open the ORCID record for Ebin Bastola [Opens in a new window] ,
Khagendra P. Bhandari ,
Indra Subedi ,
Nikolas J. Podraza  and
Randy J. Ellingson
Ebin Bastola
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
Khagendra P. Bhandari
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
Indra Subedi
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
Nikolas J. Podraza
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
Randy J. Ellingson*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC), University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
*
Address all correspondence to Randy J. Ellingson at [email protected]
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Abstract

Here, we report thiol-free thermal-injection synthesis of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) nanocrystals (NCs) using iron (II) bromide (FeBr2), copper (II) acetaylacetonate (Cu(acac)2), and elemental sulfur (S). Controlled reaction temperature and growth time yield stable and phase-pure ternary CuFeS2 NCs exhibiting tetragonal crystal structure. With increasing growth time from 1 to 30 min, absorption peak slightly red shifts from 465 to 490 nm. Based on spectroscopic ellipsometry analysis, three electronic transitions at 0.652, 1.54, and 2.29 eV were found for CuFeS2 NC film. Also, CuFeS2 NC thin films are incorporated as hole transport layers in cadmium telluride solar cells reaching an efficiency of ~12%.

Type
Research Letters
Information
MRS Communications , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , September 2018 , pp. 970 - 978
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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