Thin film solar cell of SnS absorber with cubic crystalline structure

In a solar cell: stainless steel/SnS/CdS/ZnO/ZnO:Al, we report conversion efficiency of 1.28%, open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.470 V, and short‐circuit current density (Jsc) of 6.2 mA cm−2, measured on cells of area 1 cm2 under standard conditions. The thin film of SnS absorber of 550 nm in thickness used in this cell was deposited from a chemical bath. Average crystalline diameter of the material is 24 nm, and its X‐ray diffraction pattern fits a cubic unit cell with cube edge of 1.159 nm. The optical band gap of the material is 1.74 eV and its electrical conductivity is 10−6 Ω−1 cm−1. The mobility‐lifetime product of the film was determined as 2 × 10−7 cm2 V−1 from photoconductivity measurement. To build the solar cell, a CdS thin film of 50 nm in thickness was deposited from a chemical bath on the SnS thin film prepared on the stainless steel substrate. Subsequently, a ZnO film of 180 nm and ZnO:Al film of 450 nm in thickness were deposited on this CdS defining a solar cell area of 1 cm2. This solar cell is stable under concentrated sunlight of 2–16 suns, attaining Voc of 0.6 V and Jsc of 35 mA cm−2 under 16 suns.