Bismuth Sulfide and Antimony Sulfide-Based Solar Cells: A Review

Abstract

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells are the most promising alternative to third-generation solar cells due to their versatile properties, such as maximum light-harvesting ability, tunable absorption range, solution processability, and good stability, compared to organic dyes. Various narrow band gap semiconducting materials are available to sensitize wide band gap semiconducting materials. CdS, PbS, CdSe, CdTe, Bi2S3, Sb2S3, etc., are used as sensitizers among all of these sensitizers. Bismuth Sulfide (Bi2S3) and antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) are the most promising but less studied compounds due to their lower stability with liquid electrolytes. As compared to other metal chalcogenides Bi2S3 and Sb2S3 are less toxic. Both are the most abundant elements, the band gap of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3 is suitable for optoelectronic devices. In the present review, we discuss various optoelectronic properties of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3, synthesis techniques, properties of the material, cell fabrication, and stability issues of Bi2S3, Sb2S3 based solar cells, and some strategies that improve the performance of Bi2S3 and Sb2S3 based solar cells.