scholarly journals Rear surface passivation of ultra-thin CIGS solar cells using atomic layer deposited HfOx

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Gizem Birant ◽  
Jorge Mafalda ◽  
Romain Scaffidi ◽  
Jessica de Wild ◽  
Dilara Gokcen Buldu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Point Contact ◽  
Layer Growth ◽  
Absorber Layer ◽  
Passivation Layer ◽  
Mis Structure ◽  
Cell Parameters ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

In this work, hafnium oxide layer is investigated as rear surface passivation layer for ultra-thin (550 nm) CIGS solar cells. Point contact openings in the passivation layer are realized by spin-coating potassium fluoride prior to absorber layer growth. Contacts are formed during absorber layer growth and visualized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). To assess the passivating qualities, HfOx was applied in a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure, and it demonstrates a low interface trap density in combination with a negative density of charges. Since we used ultra-thin devices that are ideal to probe improvements at the rear, solar cell results indicated improvements in all cell parameters by the addition of 2 nm thick HfOx passivation layer with contact openings.

scholarly journals Dielectric-Based Rear Surface Passivation Approaches for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells—A Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gizem Birant ◽  
Jessica de Wild ◽  
Marc Meuris ◽  
Jef Poortmans ◽  
Bart Vermang
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Dielectric Materials ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Absorber Layer ◽  
Passivation Layer ◽  
Solar Simulator

This review summarizes all studies which used dielectric-based materials as a passivation layer at the rear surface of copper indium gallium (di)selenide, Cu(In,Ga)Se2, (CIGS)-based thin film solar cells, up to 2019. The results regarding the kind of dielectric materials, the deposition techniques, contacting approaches, the existence of additional treatments, and current–voltage characteristics (J–V) of passivated devices are emphasized by a detailed table. The techniques used to implement the passivation layer, the contacting approach for the realization of the current flow between rear contact and absorber layer, additional light management techniques if applicable, the solar simulator results, and further characterization techniques, i.e., external quantum efficiency (EQE) and photoluminescence (PL), are shared and discussed. Three graphs show the difference between the reference and passivated devices in terms of open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Jsc), and efficiency (η), with respect to the thicknesses of the absorber layer. The effects of the passivation layer at the rear surface are discussed based on these three graphs. Furthermore, an additional section is dedicated to the theoretical aspects of the passivation mechanism.

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.

Numerical optimization of ultrathin CIGS solar cells with rear surface passivation

Solar Energy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 220 ◽  
pp. 590-597
Author(s):  
Nour El I. Boukortt ◽  
Salvatore Patanè ◽  
Mabrouk Adouane ◽  
Rawan AlHammadi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Numerical Optimization ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells

Comprehensive rear surface passivation of superstrate Sb2Se3 solar cells via post-deposition selenium annealing treatments and the application of an electron blocking layer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuk Jeong ◽  
Seunghwan Ji ◽  
Ji Woon Choi ◽  
Gihun Jung ◽  
Byungha Shin
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Carrier Transport ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Blocking Layer ◽  
Electron Blocking Layer ◽  
Light Absorber ◽  
Post Deposition

Sb2Se3, a quasi-1D structured binary chalcogenide, has great potential as a solar cell light absorber owing to its anisotropic carrier transport and benign grain boundaries when the absorber layer is...

Improvement in the performance of CIGS solar cells by introducing GaN nanowires on the absorber layer

2019 ◽  
Vol 779 ◽  
pp. 643-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae-Kwan Sim ◽  
Dae-Young Um ◽  
Jong-Woong Kim ◽  
Jin-Soo Kim ◽  
Kwang-Un Jeong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Absorber Layer ◽  
Gan Nanowires ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells
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