ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the microwave synthesis of CuInGaSe/CuInS and Copper zinc tin sulfide/selenide (CZTS) powders and their potential applications. Electricity from solar energy is generated by various photovoltaic devices and technologies via an electronic process that occurs naturally in semiconductor materials. Microwave synthesis, due to its volumetric heating, is unique in its ability to be scaled up without suffering from thermal gradient effects. The primary requirement for both vacuum and non-vacuum methods is the composition of the starting material. In the case of sputtering from a compound target, the composition of target material influences the efficiency of the absorber layer. CZTS, a compound semiconductor composed of earth-abundant and nontoxic elements, has demonstrated massive potential for Thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) absorber layer application. Among the TFPV, solar cells or modules based on the copper chalcopyrite compound semiconductor absorber layer materials, that is, CuInSe2 and CuInGaSe2/S2, are the most efficient.
