Flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se$_{2}$ Solar Cells for Outer Planetary Missions: Investigation Under Low-Intensity Low-Temperature Conditions

Brown, Collin R.; Whiteside, Vincent R.; Poplavskyy, Dmitry; Hossain, Khalid; Dhoubhadel, Mangal; Sellers, Ian R.

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2018.2889179

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…The different doping results found for Mo(S, Se) 2 films are probably due to impurities incorporated in the layer. Intercalation of atoms or molecules in the interlayer space of Mo(S, Se) 2 is one possibility for getting n-type conductivity [84], while substitution of Mo or S(e) inside the layer structure can give both n-type and p-type doping [85]. Experimentally it has been found that Re [86] and Cs [87] give n-type doping while oxygen [88], zinc [89], phosphorous [90], and niobium [91] give p-type doping.…”

Section: Electrical Properties Of the Back Contactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

et al. 2019

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We review the present state-of-the-art within back and front contacts in kesterite thin film solar cells, as well as the current challenges. At the back contact, molybdenum (Mo) is generally used, and thick Mo(S, Se) 2 films of up to several hundred nanometers are seen in record devices, in particular for selenium-rich kesterite. The electrical properties of Mo(S, Se) 2 can vary strongly depending on orientation and indiffusion of elements from the device stack, and there are indications that the back contact properties are less ideal in the sulfide as compared to the selenide case. However, the electronic interface structure of this contact is generally not well-studied and thus poorly understood, and more measurements are needed for a conclusive statement. Transparent back contacts is a relatively new topic attracting attention as crucial component in bifacial and multijunction solar cells. Front illuminated efficiencies of up to 6% have so far been achieved by adding interlayers that are not always fully transparent. For the front contact, a favorable energy level alignment at the kesterite/CdS interface can be confirmed for kesterite absorbers with an intermediate [S]/([S]+[Se]) composition. This agrees with the fact that kesterite absorbers of this composition reach highest efficiencies when CdS buffer layers are employed, while alternative buffer materials with larger band gap, such as Cd 1−x Zn x S or Zn 1−x Sn x O y , result in higher efficiencies than devices with CdS buffers when sulfurrich kesterite absorbers are used. Etching of the kesterite absorber surface, and annealing in air or inert atmosphere before or after buffer layer deposition, has shown strong impact on device performance. Heterojunction annealing to promote interdiffusion was used for the highest performing sulfide kesterite device and air-annealing was reported important for selenium-rich record solar cells. Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) absorbers for solar cell applications was first reported by Ito and Nakazawa [1]. Early results on CZTS device performance were reported by Friedlmeier et al [2], Seol et al [3], and Katagiri et al [4]. Later a group at IBM reached record performances with power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) above 10% for CZTSSe devices in 2010 [5] and the current record PCE of 12.6% in 2013 [6]. In 2018, researchers from DGIST reached the same performance, 12.6%, but for a larger device area [7]. The device structure used for kesterite solar cells was originally copied from that of Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 , (CIGSe) TFSCs, and is formed by sequential deposition, upon a soda lime glass substrate, of a Mo back contact, the absorber, a CdS buffer layer, and a ZnO/ZnO:Al bi-layer window (i.e. transparent top contact). This structure, schematically shown for CZTSSe in figure 1, is not necessarily ideal for kesterite solar cells, and extensive work has been invested into studies of alternative backand front contacts and related deposition processes. In this paper, the state-of-the-art and current open questions related to the back and front c...

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Section: Electrical Properties Of the Back Contactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

et al. 2019

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“…They are lightweight and flexible and show excellent radiation resistance and thermal annealing tolerances, not only in terrestrial irradiation tests but also in actual demonstrations with small satellites . Flexible CIGS solar cells for outer planetary missions has also been investigated . The radiation tolerance of polycrystalline thin films is generally higher than that of single‐crystal materials, and it has been shown that CIGS cells can potentially tolerate higher radiation levels than GaAs, silicon, and multijunction devices .…”

Section: J–v and C–v Parameters Of Cigs Solar Cells Shown In Figure mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have been performed on electron irradiation on CIGS solar cells (without alkali treatment) . However, there are almost no studies describing similar effects on alkali‐treated CIGS solar cells.…”

Section: J–v and C–v Parameters Of Cigs Solar Cells Shown In Figure mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Electron Irradiation on Cesium Fluoride‐Free and Cesium Fluoride‐Treated Cu(In_1−x,Ga_x)Se₂ Solar Cells

Khatri

Lin

Nakada

et al. 2019

Physica Rapid Research Ltrs

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Herein, the effects of electron irradiation on cesium fluoride (CsF)‐free and CsF‐treated Cu(In1−x,Gax)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells with fluence from 1 × 1013 to 1 × 1017 cm−2 are investigated. Both CsF‐free and CsF‐treated CIGS solar cells exposed to fluence up to 3 × 1015 cm−2 show self‐healing properties, due to the soaking effect from electron bombardment. This feature indicates the robustness of CIGS solar cells for long‐term space explorations. On the other hand, electron irradiation with fluence above 1 × 1016 cm−2 suppresses the solar cell performance of both CsF‐free and CsF‐treated samples, which is expected to be due to the formation of irradiation‐induced defects on the CIGS thin film. This result suggests that the formation of irradiation‐induced defects is independent of the incorporation of heavier alkali metals into the CIGS thin films. The defect passivation and/or introduction rates at different fluences are investigated.

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“…A prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation damages and ultimately destroys functional semiconductor materials in electronic devices, limiting their lifetime. − Irradiation exposure can cause chemical bonds within a material to break, altering their morphological and structural characteristics, which in turn can cause it to swell, polymerize, cause corrosion, cause quality loss, contribute to cracking, or otherwise change its desired mechanical, optical, or electronic properties. − Achieving high stability under intense ionizing irradiation is of great importance for many applications, ranging from nuclear power reactors to electronics for the emerging space industry. Satellites orbiting the Earth experience both electron and proton bombardment. − As scientific and commercial space missions have rapidly become more and more ambitious, the employed functional electronic materials have to meet growing requirements for their radiation resistance as well. A reliable operation in extreme environments with different types of ionizing radiation is a crucial prerequisite for the success of such missions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Electron and Proton Irradiation on Structural and Electronic Properties of Carbon Nanowalls

et al. 2022

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In this work, a complex experimental study of the effect of electron and proton ionizing radiation on the properties of carbon nanowalls (CNWs) is carried out using various state-of-the-art materials characterization techniques. CNW layers on quartz substrates were exposed to 5 MeV electron and 1.8 MeV proton irradiation with accumulated fluences of 7 × 1013 e/cm2 and 1012 p/cm2, respectively. It is found that depending on the type of irradiation (electron or proton), the morphology and structural properties of CNWs change; in particular, the wall density decreases, and the sp2 hybridization component increases. The morphological and structural changes in turn lead to changes in the electronic, optical, and electrical characteristics of the material, in particular, change in the work function, improvement in optical transmission, an increase in the surface resistance, and a decrease in the specific conductivity of the CNW films. Lastly, this study highlights the potential of CNWs as nanostructured functional materials for novel high-performance radiation-resistant electronic and optoelectronic devices.

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Flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se$_{2}$ Solar Cells for Outer Planetary Missions: Investigation Under Low-Intensity Low-Temperature Conditions

Cited by 12 publications

References 30 publications

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

The Effect of Electron Irradiation on Cesium Fluoride‐Free and Cesium Fluoride‐Treated Cu(In_1−x,Ga_x)Se₂ Solar Cells

Effect of Electron and Proton Irradiation on Structural and Electronic Properties of Carbon Nanowalls

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Flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se$_{2}$ Solar Cells for Outer Planetary Missions: Investigation Under Low-Intensity Low-Temperature Conditions

Cited by 12 publications

References 30 publications

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

Back and front contacts in kesterite solar cells: state-of-the-art and open questions

The Effect of Electron Irradiation on Cesium Fluoride‐Free and Cesium Fluoride‐Treated Cu(In1−x,Gax)Se2 Solar Cells

Effect of Electron and Proton Irradiation on Structural and Electronic Properties of Carbon Nanowalls

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The Effect of Electron Irradiation on Cesium Fluoride‐Free and Cesium Fluoride‐Treated Cu(In_1−x,Ga_x)Se₂ Solar Cells