Varadharajaperumal, S.Sripan, C.Ganesan, R.Hegde, G.Satyanarayana, M.N.2026-02-052017Crystal Growth and Design, 2017, 17, 10, pp. 5154-516215287483https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.cgd.7b00632https://idr.nitk.ac.in/handle/123456789/25475This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of stoichiometry adjusted Cu<inf>2</inf>Zn<inf>1.5</inf>Sn<inf>1.2</inf>S<inf>4.4</inf> thin film (FTO/TiO<inf>2</inf>/CdS/CZTS/Au) photovoltaic (PV) devices. The PV devices were developed using the window layer of rutile TiO<inf>2</inf> nanoarchitecture arrays, i.e., one-dimensional (1D) nanorods and three-dimensional (3D) combined/ hierarchical structures (nanorods with microspheres). Onedimensional (1D) nanorods and 3D combined structures of TiO<inf>2</inf> window layers were synthesized by a hydrothermal method with different solvents without any assistance of surfactants and templates. We achieved two kinds of TiO<inf>2</inf> nanostructures by tuning the precursor concentrations and volume by keeping a constant growth time and temperature. The detailed structural properties were studied using X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Phase formation and chemical state of the prepared samples were examined by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphology and luminescence studies of TiO<inf>2</inf> nanostructures were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence techniques. The current-voltage performance of fabricated devices were measured under an AM 1.5 solar simulator. It is observed that combined structure PV device shows better efficiency (1.45%) than the nanorods alone structure (0.55%). Present work is a first attempt made to construct the inverted CZTS based solar cells. This study establishes the window layer of hierarchical TiO<inf>2</inf> nanostructures based morphology that offers a great potential for the development of high-efficiency nonstoichiometric CZTS based solar cells. © 2017 American Chemical Society.Cadmium compoundsEfficiencyField emission microscopesGold compoundsHigh resolution transmission electron microscopyMorphologyNanorodsOxide mineralsScanning electron microscopyStoichiometrySurface morphologyThin film solar cellsThin filmsTin compoundsTitanium dioxideX ray photoelectron spectroscopyZinc compoundsFabrication and characterizationsField emission scanning electron microscopyHierarchical structuresMorphology-controlledOne-dimensional (1D) nanorodsPhotovoltaic applicationsPrecursor concentrationThreedimensional (3-d)Copper compounds