Improvement of the conversion efficiency of as-deposited Bi2S3/PbS solar cells using a CeO2 buffer layer

We evaluated the performance of CeO2 as a buffer layer for emerging thin-film solar cells. Thin films of CeO2 were deposited via spin coating on transparent conductive oxide (TCO) glass substrates. The photovoltaic parameters of open-circuit voltage (V-oc), short-circuit current density (J(sc)), fill factor (FF), and conversion efficiency of the reference samples increased from 134 mV, 4.14 mA/cm(2), 0.26, and 0.14% to 254 mV, 14.74 mA/ cm(2), 0.34, and 1.27%, respectively, by using the structure TCO/CeO2/Bi2S3/PbS. The crystallite size of the absorber layer (PbS) increased from 14 to 24 nm using a 130 nm CeO2 buffer layer.