Simple solar cells of 3.5% efficiency with antimony sulfide‐selenide thin films

Thin films of antimony sulfide‐selenide solid solutions (Sb₂S_x Se_3–x) were prepared by chemical bath deposition and thermal evaporation to constitute solar cells of a transparent conductive oxide (FTO)/CdS/Sb₂S_x Se_3–x/C–Ag. The cell parameters vary depending on the sulfide‐selenide composition in the films. The best solar cell efficiency of 3.6% was obtained with a solid solution Sb₂S_1.5Se_1.5 prepared by thermal evaporation of the precipitate for which the open circuit voltage is 0.52 V and short circuit current density, 15.7 mA/cm²under AM 1.5G (1000 W/m²) solar radiation. For all‐chemically deposited solar cells of Sb₂S_1.1Se_1.9 absorber, these values are: 2.7%, 0.44 V, and 15.8 mA/cm², and for Sb₂S_0.8Se_2.2, they are: 2.5%, 0.38 V and 18 mA/cm². (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)