A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles

作者：Hwang Po Yu; Berg Dominik M; Liu Mimi; Lai Cheng Yu; Radu Daniela R^*

来源：Materials Letters, 2018, 223: 128-132.

DOI：10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020

• Nanoparticles
• Colloidal processing
• Solar energy materials
• Electronic materials
• Fe2Ge2S4

Iron germanium sulfide (Fe2GeS4) recently emerged as a potential thin film solar photovoltaic absorber. The introduction of the third element-germanium (Ge)-viewed as a solution for overcoming multiple barriers of a photovoltaic pyrite, confers stability to Fe2GeS4 at elevated temperatures, typically required for accomplishing grain growth in Gen 2 thin film PV. A facile synthesis of Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles from molecular precursors, comprising mechanical mixing of starting materials followed by a two-hour annealing in a sulfur-rich atmosphere is presented herein. Further processing of the resulting Fe2GeS4 nanopowders at elevated temperatures demonstrates high thermal stability of Fe2GeS4 (up to 500 degrees C), in comparison with pyrite, which shows onset of pyrrhotite upon heating above 160 degrees C. Based on the secondary crystalline phases formed, we propose a mechanism of decomposition of Fe2GeS4 at high temperatures. Films fabricated with Fe2GeS4 were further annealed and revealed that Fe2GeS4 withstands high temperatures in thin film.

• 出版日期2018-7-15