Text

theses

Solar photovoltaic energy technology is increasingly implemented in response to continuously growing global energy needs. While legacy technology utilizing silicon has captured much of the market, thin-film solar modules are projected to rise particularly in the U.S. production sector. Current materials utilized in production and deployment encounter resource and environmental impact constraints. This research investigates the viably controllable synthesis of multi-crystalline copper bismuth sulfide for potential use as an absorber layer in thin-film solar cells and early investigation of thin-film growth parameters which may enable a cost-effective route to full scale production of epitaxial copper bismuth sulfide films. The first step of this investigation has entailed a novel route for the solvo-thermally grown Cu3BiS3 films facilitated by L-cystine as a sulfur donating and complexing agent. In the characterization of the nanoparticulate product UV-VIS spectra were analyzed via the Tauc method of bandgap interpolation. The validity of the Tauc method in application to polycrystalline films has been investigated and proven to be robust for the material class. This justifies the bandgap assessment of the subject material and provides support for wider use of the method. With the synthesis method established, the reaction was transferred to a custom built continuous flow reactor to explore this process and help understand its capabilities and limits with respect to producing single layers for an eventual photovoltaic cell stack. Though the published work has established novel chemistry, the need to deposit and/or grow a functional p-type layer for further characterization and eventual device incorporation is key to the material evolution. First evidence of continuous flow micro-reactor deposition of Cu3BiS3 has been shown with an array of resulting microstructures. The grown microstructures are evaluated with relevance to prior synthesis laboratory procedure and recommendations are made for continuing the pursuit of a functional Cu3BiS3 coating mediated by L-cystine in a continuous flow micro-reactor.

ETD_6176

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Brian D. Viezbicke

doi:10.7282/T37D2WV4

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.