Research Projects

The growing global demand for clean and sustainable energy sources has intensified research into alternative photovoltaic materials that are efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Conventional silicon-based solar cells, while dominant in the market, pose challenges in terms of high manufacturing costs and energy-intensive production processes Alternatively thin film technology is used for solar cell fabrication.. Current thin-film technologies such as CdTe and CIGS, although commercially viable, rely on toxic or rare elements (e.g., Cd, In, Ga, Te), limiting their long-term sustainability . Other material like CZTS having four elements is used for thin film solar cell technology but optimization of CZTS is challenging due to forming of many secondary compounds. In this context, copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS₂) has emerged as a compelling alternative due to its desirable optoelectronic properties, including a suitable direct bandgap (~1.5 eV), high absorption coefficient, and the use of earth-abundant, low-toxicity elements [. However, widespread adoption of CuSbS₂ in photovoltaic applications is hindered by challenges in achieving high-quality, phase-pure films with suitable morphology and minimal defects. Different technology is used to fabricate the thin films. Among them vacuum based technology is more prominent due to advancement of its technological progress. But these vacuum-based technology is expensive. Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (USP) presents a promising, low-cost, and scalable deposition method for the synthesis of uniform thin films over large areas. Compared to vacuum-based methods, USP offers greater simplicity, adaptability to different substrates, and potential for roll-to-roll manufacturing. Despite its advantages, limited studies have explored USP for CuSbS₂ film deposition, indicating a clear research gap and opportunity for innovation. In this work we are going to use a low-cost ultrasonic spray pyrolysis to fabricate the CuSbS₂/ZnS or ZnO heterostructure thin film solar cell. It seeks to address the urgent need for sustainable solar absorber materials while contributing to the advancement of scalable deposition technologies. This project aims to investigate the deposition of CuSbS₂ thin films via USP and optimize their structural, optical, and electrical properties for application in thin-film solar cells. This project aims to bridge the technological and methodological gaps by leveraging USP for the controlled deposition of CuSbS₂ films—an approach that is underexplored globally. By developing a scalable, low-cost process with improved film quality and device efficiency, this research has the potential to position itself at the forefront of CuSbS₂ solar cell development on the international stage.