Polymeric Interlayer in CdS-Free Electron-Selective Contact for Sb 2 Se 3 Thin-Film Solar Cells.

High open-circuit voltage in Sb 2 Se 3 thin-film solar cells is a key challenge in the development of earth-abundant photovoltaic devices. CdS selective layers have been used as the standard electron contact in this technology. Long-term scalability issues due to cadmium toxicity and environmental impact are of great concern. In this study, we propose a ZnO-based buffer layer with a polymer-film-modified top interface to replace CdS in Sb 2 Se 3 photovoltaic devices. The branched polyethylenimine layer at the ZnO and transparent electrode interface enhanced the performance of Sb 2 Se 3 solar cells. An important increase in open-circuit voltage from 243 mV to 344 mV and a maximum efficiency of 2.4% was achieved. This study attempts to establish a relation between the use of conjugated polyelectrolyte thin films in chalcogenide photovoltaics and the resulting device improvements.