A high efficiency electrodeposited Cu ₂ZnSnS ₄ solar cell

High-performance Cu 2ZnSnS 4 photovoltaic devices are demonstrated using electrodeposition of metal stacks and annealing of a CuZnSn precursor in a sulfur atmosphere. A champion electroplated Cu 2ZnSnS 4 solar cell achieves a power conversion efficiency of 7.3%, which is a record efficiency for electrodeposited Cu 2ZnSnS 4 solar devices. The device performance points to electrodeposition and annealing as a low-cost and viable approach to earth-abundant solar cell fabrication. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.