Abstract
•Electrospun nanofibers were used to construct a 3D CuInS2 solar cell with enhanced surface area.•SEM images showed the 3D web-like, fibrous structure of the film.•The surface area had nearly doubled after incorporating the 3D nanostructure.
To ensure effective collection of photo-generated minority electrons in a CuInS2 thin film solar cell, a three-dimensional nanostructure was constructed by electrospinning a copper-indium solution precursor onto a molybdenum substrate. The electrospun nanofibers adhered onto the underlying layers before undergoing sulfurization at 500°C to produce a three-dimensional web-like fibrous CuInS2 film. This fibrous film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Auger electron spectroscopy, thereby characterizing the 3D fibrous nanostructure of the CuInS2 film. This 3D structure could lead to next-generation solar cells optimized for maximal charge separation to enhance photovoltaic efficiency of solution-processed thin film solar cells.