Electronic structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub>thin-film solar cell interface

Mezher, Michelle; Garris, Rebekah L.; Mansfield, Lorelle M.; Horsley, Kimberly; Weinhardt, L.; Duncan, Douglas A.; Blum, Monika; Rosenberg, Samantha G.; Bär, Marcus; Ramanathan, K.; Heske, Clemens

doi:10.1002/pip.2764

Cited by 30 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…The CBO of the hetero interface is sufficiently flat (with a small spike) providing better electron flow and a good blocking layer for the majority carriers and hence reduces the interface recombination. Furthermore, the band-gap tuning is possible in Zn(O,S) buffer layers by varying the [S/S + O] ratio [119,120]. Even a minimal bandgap of 2.6 eV can be achieved with S/S + O = 45% which is 0.2 eV larger than CdS, thus avoiding the absorption losses.…”

Section: Cds-free Buffer Layer In Cigse Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

Chandran

Panda

Mallik

2018

Mater Renew Sustain Energy

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Thin-film solar cell devices based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGSe) chalcogenide materials fabricated by vacuum-based deposition techniques have already achieved lab scale efficiency beyond 21%. For industrial-scale applications, non-vacuum deposition technique such as electrodeposition and screen printing is considered to be suitable approaches for reducing the device fabrication cost. Moreover, electrodeposition has the potential to prepare large area thin films as it requires cheap raw material sources and equipment capital. Hence, it is imperative to understand the current status and advancements in the electroplating techniques of the CIGSe thin films. This article reviews on the experimental advances in electroplating of ternary CuInSe 2 and quaternary CIGSe. Various approaches in electrodeposition, influential experimental parameters, and the deposition mechanisms which are related to the final cell efficiency are discussed in detail.

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Section: Cds-free Buffer Layer In Cigse Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

Chandran

Panda

Mallik

2018

Mater Renew Sustain Energy

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“…However, the limited band gap of CdS (2.4 eV) leads to parasitic high-energy photon losses in the CdS buffer layer 6 . Hence, promising alternatives like indium sulfide 4,7 or zinc oxysulfide [Zn(O,S)] 8,9 with larger band gaps (and different interface chemistries) are being investigated. Such alternative buffer layers are intensively pursued for the (related) Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) 2 material system, and there is a growing interest to also investigate the impact of alternative buffer layers on the kesterite-based solar cell 5,6,[10][11][12] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intermixing at the In_xS_y/Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Heterojunction and Its Impact on the Chemical and Electronic Interface Structure

Hauschild

Mezher

Schnabel

et al. 2019

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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We report on the chemical and electronic structure of the interface between a thermally co-evaporated In x S y buffer and a Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) absorber for thin-film solar cells that, to date, has achieved energy conversion efficiencies up to 8.6 %. Using surface-sensitive x-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy, combined with inverse photoemission and bulksensitive soft x-ray emission spectroscopy, we find a complex character of the buffer layer. It includes oxygen, as well as selenium and copper that diffused from the absorber into the In x S y buffer, exhibits an electronic band gap of 2.50 ± 0.18 eV at the surface, and leads to a small cliff in the conduction band alignment at the In x S y /CZTSSe interface. After an efficiencyincreasing annealing step at 180 °C in nitrogen atmosphere, additional selenium diffusion leads to a reduced band gap at the buffer layer surface (2.28 ± 0.18 eV).

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“…Also, their cost-effectiveness and easy processing are well known. Recently, CIGS thin-film photovoltaic devices reached a record solar efficiency of 22.3% [1]. Among thin film technologies, CIGS solar cells have achieved highest conversion efficiencies at laboratory scale [2,3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthesis of in-gap band CuGaS2:Cr absorbers and numerical assessment of their performance in solar cells

Ullah

Bouhjar

et al. 2018

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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CuGaS2 thin films were obtained by sulfurization of CuGaSe2. CuGaSe2 thin films were first electrodeposited from aqueous solutions containing CuCl2, GaCl3, and H2SeO3 and subsequently annealed at 400 °C for 10 min in forming gas atmosphere and in the presence of molecular sulfur. This sulfurization process resulted in the complete conversion of CuGaSe2 into CuGaS2. The formation of CuGaS2 was proven by X-Ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy. Diffraction peaks of CuGaS2 shifted to higher angles than those observed for CuGaSe2 films, and the optical band gap shifted to blue rising from 1.66 eV for CuGaSe2 to 2.2 eV for CuGaS2. When Cr ions were added to the initial electrolyte, the final CuGaS2 films exhibited a broad in-gap absorption band centred at 1.63 eV that can be ascribed to Cr atoms in Ga sites. The performance of solar cells based on CuGaS2:Cr absorbers containing an in-gap absorption band was then estimated by numerical simulation using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator Software. Both quantum efficiency and short circuit current of simulated Mo/CuGaS2:Cr/CdS/ZnO solar cells rose up proportionally to the amount of Cr present in CuGaS2:Cr absorbers. As a result, the photo conversion efficiency of the simulated devices changed from 14.7% for CuGaS2 to 34% for CuGaS2:Cr absorbers. Nevertheless, when neutral defects related to Cr-doping were introduced in the absorber layer, the positive effect of the enhancement of photon harvesting due to IGB was compensated by a decline in the carrier collection and the overall efficiency of the device fell considerably.

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Electronic structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se₂thin-film solar cell interface

Cited by 30 publications

References 33 publications

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

Intermixing at the In_xS_y/Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Heterojunction and Its Impact on the Chemical and Electronic Interface Structure

Synthesis of in-gap band CuGaS2:Cr absorbers and numerical assessment of their performance in solar cells

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Electronic structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se2thin-film solar cell interface

Cited by 30 publications

References 33 publications

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

A short review on the advancements in electroplating of CuInGaSe2 thin films

Intermixing at the InxSy/Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Heterojunction and Its Impact on the Chemical and Electronic Interface Structure

Synthesis of in-gap band CuGaS2:Cr absorbers and numerical assessment of their performance in solar cells

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Electronic structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se₂thin-film solar cell interface

Intermixing at the In_xS_y/Cu₂ZnSn(S,Se)₄ Heterojunction and Its Impact on the Chemical and Electronic Interface Structure