Development of Direct Cell Inorganic Barrier Film Technology Providing Exceptional Device Stability for CIGS Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (17) ◽  
pp. 3915-3920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Elowe ◽  
Matthew A. Stempki ◽  
Steve J. Rozeveld ◽  
Marty W. DeGroot
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Device Stability ◽  
Direct Cell ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Barrier Film

scholarly journals Metrology of Al2O3 Barrier Film for Flexible CIGS Solar Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 46-60
Author(s):  
Mohamed Elrawemi ◽  
Liam Blunt ◽  
Leigh Fleming ◽  
Francis Sweeney ◽  
David Robbins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Water Vapor ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Vapor Permeability ◽  
Surface Metrology ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Nano Scale ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Barrier Film

Flexible Cu (In, Ga) Se2 (CIGS) solar cells are very attractive renewable energy sources because of their high conversion efficiencies, their low cost potential and their many application possibilities. However, they are at present highly susceptible to long term environmental degradation as a result of water vapor ingress through the protective encapsulation layer to the absorber (CIGS) layer. The basic methodology to prevent the water vapor permeation is to combine an oxide layer (e.g. AlOx) coating with suitable polymer substrates. Nevertheless, micro and nano-scale defects can appear at any stage of the coating process thus affecting the module efficiency and lifespan. The main aim of this research paper is to use surface metrology techniques including: White Light Scanning Interferometry (WLSI), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) to characterise the aluminum oxide (Al2O3) barrier film defects, which appear to be directly responsible for the water vapor permeability. This paper reports on the development of a characterisation method for defect detection based on “Wolf Pruning” method and then correlates this with measured water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs) using standard MOCON® test. The results presented in this paper provided a detailed knowledge of the nature of micro and nano-scale defects on the Al2O3 barrier films which are responsible for water vapor and oxygen ingress. This result can then be used to provide the basis for developing roll-to-roll in process metrology devices for quality control of flexible PV module manufacture.

Effect of the double grading on the internal electric field and on the carrier collection in CIGS solar cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 223 ◽  
pp. 110948
Author(s):  
Alban Lafuente-Sampietro ◽  
Katsuhisa Yoshida ◽  
Shenghao Wang ◽  
Shogo Ishizuka ◽  
Hajime Shibata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Internal Electric Field ◽  
Carrier Collection ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

scholarly journals Design of Grating Al2O3 Passivation Structure Optimized for High-Efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4849
Author(s):  
Chan Hyeon Park ◽  
Jun Yong Kim ◽  
Shi-Joon Sung ◽  
Dae-Hwan Kim ◽  
Yun Seon Do
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Carrier Recombination ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Effective Carrier ◽  
Opening Width

In this paper, we propose an optimized structure of thin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells with a grating aluminum oxide (Al2O3) passivation layer (GAPL) providing nano-sized contact openings in order to improve power conversion efficiency using optoelectrical simulations. Al2O3 is used as a rear surface passivation material to reduce carrier recombination and improve reflectivity at a rear surface for high efficiency in thin CIGS solar cells. To realize high efficiency for thin CIGS solar cells, the optimized structure was designed by manipulating two structural factors: the contact opening width (COW) and the pitch of the GAPL. Compared with an unpassivated thin CIGS solar cell, the efficiency was improved up to 20.38% when the pitch of the GAPL was 7.5–12.5 μm. Furthermore, the efficiency was improved as the COW of the GAPL was decreased. The maximum efficiency value occurred when the COW was 100 nm because of the effective carrier recombination inhibition and high reflectivity of the Al2O3 insulator passivation with local contacts. These results indicate that the designed structure has optimized structural points for high-efficiency thin CIGS solar cells. Therefore, the photovoltaic (PV) generator and sensor designers can achieve the higher performance of photosensitive thin CIGS solar cells by considering these results.

Thinning of CIGS solar cells: Part II: Cell characterizations

2011 ◽  
Vol 519 (21) ◽  
pp. 7212-7215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Jehl ◽  
F. Erfurth ◽  
N. Naghavi ◽  
L. Lombez ◽  
I. Gerard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

CIGS Solar Cells for Outer Planetary Space Applications: the Effect of Proton Irradiation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Afshari ◽  
Brandon K Durant ◽  
Khalid Hossain ◽  
Dmitry Poplavskyy ◽  
Bibhudutta Rout ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Proton Irradiation ◽  
Space Applications ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

scholarly journals Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells with Ag/AlOx Passivating Back Reflector

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4268
Author(s):  
Jessica de Wild ◽  
Gizem Birant ◽  
Guy Brammertz ◽  
Marc Meuris ◽  
Jef Poortmans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Short Circuit Current Density ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Current Increase ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorber layers of 550 nm were grown on Ag/AlOx stacks. The addition of the stack resulted in solar cells with improved fill factor, open circuit voltage and short circuit current density. The efficiency was increased from 7% to almost 12%. Photoluminescence (PL) and time resolved PL were improved, which was attributed to the passivating properties of AlOx. A current increase of almost 2 mA/cm2 was measured, due to increased light scattering and surface roughness. With time of flight—secondary ion mass spectroscopy, the elemental profiles were measured. It was found that the Ag is incorporated through the whole CIGS layer. Secondary electron microscopic images of the Mo back revealed residuals of the Ag/AlOx stack, which was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements. It is assumed to induce the increased surface roughness and scattering properties. At the front, large stains are visible for the cells with the Ag/AlOx back contact. An ammonia sulfide etching step was therefore applied on the bare absorber improving the efficiency further to 11.7%. It shows the potential of utilizing an Ag/AlOx stack at the back to improve both electrical and optical properties of ultrathin CIGS solar cells.

Quantum yield enhancement of Mn-doped CsPbCl3 perovskite nanocrystals as luminescent down-shifting layer for CIGS solar cells

Solar Energy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 206 ◽  
pp. 473-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Sui ◽  
Mingyue Pan ◽  
Zhengyan Wang ◽  
Ming Chen ◽  
Wenjie Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Yield ◽  
Yield Enhancement ◽  
Perovskite Nanocrystals ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Mn Doped

scholarly journals Improving Performance of CIGS Solar Cells by Annealing ITO Thin Films Electrodes

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Lung Chuang ◽  
Ming Wei Chang ◽  
Nien Po Chen ◽  
Chung Chiang Pan ◽  
Chung Ping Liu
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide ◽  
Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Ito Film ◽  
Ito Thin Films ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Ito Films

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were grown on glass substrates by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature. Annealing at the optimal temperature can considerably improve the composition, structure, optical properties, and electrical properties of the ITO film. An ITO sample with a favorable crystalline structure was obtained by annealing in fixed oxygen/argon ratio of 0.03 at 400°C for 30 min. The carrier concentration, mobility, resistivity, band gap, transmission in the visible-light region, and transmission in the near-IR regions of the ITO sample were-1.6E+20 cm−3,2.7E+01 cm2/Vs,1.4E-03 Ohm-cm, 3.2 eV, 89.1%, and 94.7%, respectively. Thus, annealing improved the average transmissions (400–1200 nm) of the ITO film by 16.36%. Moreover, annealing a copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) solar cell at 400°C for 30 min in air improved its efficiency by 18.75%. The characteristics of annealing ITO films importantly affect the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of ITO films that are used in solar cells.

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