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Research Article | Open Access

Bandgap narrowing and polarization enhancement in (K,Na,Li)(Nb,Sb,Ta)O3+x% Fe2O3 lead-free ceramics for photovoltaic applications

Jian Chena, Jiaxing Maoa, Zihui Wanga, Yanhui Donga, Jinming Guoa, Mingkai Lia, Yi Zhangb, Yinmei Lua( ), Yunbin Hea( )
Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Lab of Ferro & Piezoelectric Materials and Devices, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
Institute of Photoelectronic Thin Film Devices and Technology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Thin Film Devices and Technology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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Abstract

The need for ferroelectric materials with both narrow bandgaps (Eg) and large remanent polarization (Pr) remains a key challenge to the development of high-efficiency ferroelectric photovoltaic (FPV) devices. In this work, [(K0.43Na0.57)0.94Li0.06][(Nb0.94Sb0.06)0.95Ta0.05]O3 (KNLNST)-based lead-free ceramics with narrow Eg and large Pr are obtained via Fe2O3 doping. By optimizing the level of Fe2O3 doping, a KNLNST+1.3% Fe2O3 ceramic is fabricated that simultaneously possesses a narrow Eg of 1.74 eV and a large Pr of 27.05 μC/cm2. These values are much superior to those of undoped KNLNST ceramics (Eg = 3.1 eV and Pr = 17.73 μC/cm2). While the large Pr stems from the increment of the volume ratio between the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases (VO/VT) in KNLNST ceramics by proper amount of Fe3+ doping, the narrow Eg is attributed to the coupling interaction between the Fe3+ dopants and the B-site Sb3+ host ions. Moreover, a switchable photovoltaic effect caused by the ferroelectric depolarization electric field (Edp) is observed in the KNLNST+1.3% Fe2O3 ceramic-based device. Thanks to the narrower Eg and larger Pr of the doped ceramic, the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding device (open-circuit voltage (Voc) = −5.28 V and short-circuit current density (Jsc) = 0.051 μA/cm2) under a downward poling state is significantly superior to that of an undoped KNLNST-based device (Voc = −0.46 V and Jsc = 0.039 μA/cm2). This work offers a feasible approach to developing ferroelectric materials with narrow bandgaps and large Pr for photovoltaic applications.

Keywords

ferroelectricsbandgap (Eg)remanent polarization (Pr)photovoltaic effect[(K0.43Na0.57)0.94Li0.06] [(Nb0.94Sb0.06)0.95Ta0.05]O3 (KNLNST)

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Journal of Advanced Ceramics
Volume 12 Issue 7,
July 2023
Pages 1406-1417
DOI: 10.26599/JAC.2023.9220763
Cite this article:
Chen J, Mao J, Wang Z, et al. Bandgap narrowing and polarization enhancement in (K,Na,Li)(Nb,Sb,Ta)O3+x% Fe2O3 lead-free ceramics for photovoltaic applications. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2023, 12(7): 1406-1417. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220763

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Received: 12 January 2023
Revised: 03 May 2023
Accepted: 04 May 2023
Published: 06 July 2023
© The Author(s) 2023.

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