Element-specific investigations of ultrafast dynamics in photoexcited Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles in solution.
Christian ReinJens UhligDavid Carrasco-BusturiaKhadijeh KhaliliAnders S GertsenAsbjørn MoltkeXiaoyi ZhangTetsuo KatayamaJuan Maria Garcia LastraMartin Meedom NielsenShin-Ichi AdachiKristoffer HaldrupJens Wenzel AndreasenPublished in: Structural dynamics (Melville, N.Y.) (2021)
Ultrafast, light-induced dynamics in copper-zinc-tin-sulfide (CZTS) photovoltaic nanoparticles are investigated through a combination of optical and x-ray transient absorption spectroscopy. Laser-pump, x-ray-probe spectroscopy on a colloidal CZTS nanoparticle ink yields element-specificity, which reveals a rapid photo-induced shift of electron density away from Cu-sites, affecting the molecular orbital occupation and structure of CZTS. We observe the formation of a stable charge-separated and thermally excited structure, which persists for nanoseconds and involves an increased charge density at the Zn sites. Combined with density functional theory calculations, the results provide new insight into the structural and electronic dynamics of CZTS absorbers for solar cells.
Keyphrases
- solar cells
- density functional theory
- high resolution
- molecular dynamics
- single molecule
- electron transfer
- oxide nanoparticles
- high speed
- energy transfer
- dual energy
- living cells
- high glucose
- atomic force microscopy
- computed tomography
- metal organic framework
- drug induced
- subarachnoid hemorrhage
- risk assessment
- fluorescent probe
- iron oxide