SPRINTCELL proposes an alternative fabrication route to the current thin film photovoltaic (TFPV) fabrication which is still dominated by the use of a high cost vacuum-based process and based on scarce and critical elements. This project will focus on (i) developing an innovative industry-oriented thin film photovoltaic fabrication using non-vacuum solution-based processing, (ii) formulating sulfide-based ink as the appropriate starting material for the abovementioned solution-based processing, and (iii) developing an emerging photovoltaic material of earth abundant Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) compounds. The CZTS compound of is an attractive absorber material for TFPV application. Apart from its suitable optoelectronic properties as absorber material in a thin film photovoltaic, CZTS contains abundant and non-toxic elements and exhibits a high absorption coefficient. The particular abundance of its constituents will also secure the anticipated large-scale CZTS photovoltaic deployment. The core effort in SPRINT-CELL project lies on the formulation of an ink which constitutes homogeneously dispersed pre-synthesised CZTS powder. The technical work involves the synthesis of high quality single phase CZTS powder by industrial-relevant process of thermal solid-state reaction. Abundant raw materials containing Cu, Zn, Sn and S are deliberately employed to synthesize CZTS compound with particular chemical composition. The subsequent work uses advanced powder jet milling for preparing nanometer-sized CZTS powders in order to obtain the required powder size for further thin film deposition. The implementation of the CZTS-containing ink will be performed by the printing technique of CZTS film and finalised by the CZTS device fabrication.
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