Fabrication of Thin Films of Iron Disulphide (Pyrite) for Photovoltaics Development

The high production cost of traditional photovoltaic materials, along with the environmental problems ensuing from the production and processing thereof, constitutes a serious drawback for the commercialization of photovoltaic cells. Many concerted efforts have been made in order to develop materials in thin film form able to guarantee optimal characteristics in terms of abundance, environmental compatibility, and photoactivity. For the past three decades, several investigations have highlighted the potential of iron disulphide (pyrite) as a viable candidate for future production of solar cells on a large scale. Based on important disclosed patents, the present article focuses on the review and discussion of fabrication methods of pyrite in thin film form for solar photovoltaics.