The pyrolysis preparation of the compact and full-coverage AgSbS2 thin films and the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solar cells

Abstract The preparation of the compact and full-coverage AgSbS2 thin films is firstly reported using the pyrolysis of the Ag-butyldithiocarbamate and Sb-butyldithiocarbamate complex solution in DMF. The influence of the preparation temperature on the crystal phase, optical absorption, morphology of the AgSbS2 thin films is systematically investigated. The AgSbS2 thin films at 150 °C for 30 min are composed of the individual nanoparticles with the particle sizes of 30–60 nm. When the AgSbS2 thin films are further heated at 350 °C for 2 min, the individual AgSbS2 nanoparticles are melted together and the grain boundary between the AgSbS2 nanoparticles disappear. The solar cells with the architecture of FTO/compact TiO2/AgSbS2/spiro-OMeTAD/Au achieve the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.09%, along with the open-circuit voltage of 0.44 V, the short-circuit photocurrent density of 10.49 mA cm−2, the fill factor of 0.45. The PCE of 2.09% is the highest value for the AgSbS2 solar cells.