Properties of CuIn(Se,S)2 Thin Films Prepared by a Developed Two-step Growth Process

Properties of CuIn(Se,S)2 Thin Films Prepared by a Developed Two-step Growth Process PDF Author: Willem Johannes Bekker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chalcopyrite
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Properties of CuIn(Se,S)2 Thin Films Prepared by a Developed Two-step Growth Process

Properties of CuIn(Se,S)2 Thin Films Prepared by a Developed Two-step Growth Process PDF Author: Willem Johannes Bekker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chalcopyrite
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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The Development of CuIn1-xALSe2 Thin Films for Use in Photovoltaic Solar Cells

The Development of CuIn1-xALSe2 Thin Films for Use in Photovoltaic Solar Cells PDF Author: Paresh S. Nasikkar
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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The aim of the work presented in this thesis was to develop CuInSe2 (CIS) and CuIni_?Al?Se2 (CIAS) thin films for application in photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. The purpose of the addition of aluminium (Al) in CIS thin films was to modify the energy band gap of the thin films to be nearer to the optimum for PV energy conversion and to replace the less abundant element, gallium (Ga) in CuIni_, Ga, Se2 (CIGS) solar cells. This also makes possible the production of tandem solar cells using CIAS to make the wide energy band gap top cell and the CIS to make the narrow energy band gap lower cell. The use of very thin CIS and CIAS absorber layers in solar cell structures was also investigated; the aim was to reduce the amount of indium (In) in cell production. The CIS and CIAS absorber films were prepared by a sequential two step method in which Cu-In and Cu-In-Al precursor layers were magnetron sputter deposited onto Mo-coated soda lime glass (SLG) substrates; the CIS or CIAS was then formed by heating in a selenium (Se) containing environment. Thin film solar cells were developed in the substrate configuration and had the structure Ni-Al/Indium tin oxide (ITO)/i-ZnO/CdS/CIAS/Mo/SLG. In order to achieve high efficiency solar cells it is an important to optimse the back contact molybdenum (Mo) layer, the absorber layer, the CdS buffer layer, the window layer and top contact layers. The work described in this thesis focused on the optimisation of the back contact and absorber layers. The thin films were characterised mainly using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (MiniSIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and using spectroscopy measurements to investigate the effect of processing conditions on the composition, crystal structure, surface morphology and the optical properties of the films. The solar cells were characterised by current-voltage (/- V) and incident photon-to-photocurrent conversion efficiency (IPCE) measurements. Both Mo single and bilayer structures were investigated. It was found that single layers had better properties than Mo bilayers. The optimisation of the Mo deposition sputtering process yielded Mo layers which had good adherence and were conformal to the glass substrates, had low resistivity (29 if .cm), were pin hole free and had good crystallinity. The influence of Cu-In precursor layers with thicknesses in the range 90-400 nm on the microstructure of the CIS thin films (thicknesses in the range 400-1600 nm) was investigated. Solar cells fabricated from the CIS films of thicknesses 500 nm and 900 nm yielded highest cell conversion efficiencies of 4.3% and 8.2%, respectively. The selenisation of the magnetron sputter deposited Cu-In-Al precursor layers was carried out at a temperature of 550?C. Films were poor in surface quality and adhesion. Films prepared from the precursor layer with n [(Al/(Al+In))] = 0.21 had a non-uniform Al depth profile towards the bottom of the film. Although the film was found to be photoactive its effective energy band gap was 0.98 eV suggesting the properties of CIS. This confirmed incomplete mixing of Al in the thin films which was considered to be segregated at the bottom of the film. The thinner layers of Cu-In-Al precursors with thicknesses in the range 0.55?1.00 gm and n [(Al/Al+In)] in the range 0.28-0.54 were magnetron sputter deposited. The precursor layers showed the prominent binary A1Cu4 compound with a uniform distribution of Al in the layer. Thin films converted from these precursor layers of thicknesses in the range 1.3-2.0 pm were fairly uniform in surface structure. Films with x 0.2 were found to have an energy bandgap of 1.10 eV and were also photoactive. Solar cells fabricated from this absorber film yielded a highest cell efficiency of 4.9%. Environmental impact assessments have been made on materials and the processes used in the fabrication of CIS and CIAS and solar cells. It was found that there is no critical environmental impact of materials and associated processes involved in the fabrication of CIS and CIAS thin film solar cells.

JJAP

JJAP PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1108

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New Research on Semiconductors

New Research on Semiconductors PDF Author: Thomas B. Elliot
Publisher: Nova Publishers
ISBN: 9781594549205
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Includes within its scope, topics such as: studies of the structural, electrical, optical and acoustical properties of bulk, low-dimensional and amorphous semiconductors; and, interface properties, including the physics and chemistry of heterojunctions, metal-semiconductor and insulator-semiconductor junctions.

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Physics
Languages : en
Pages : 872

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Solar Energy Update

Solar Energy Update PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Solar energy
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Material Properties of Thin Film Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Prepared by Two-stage Growth Processes

Material Properties of Thin Film Cu(In, Ga)Se2 Prepared by Two-stage Growth Processes PDF Author: Paulos Molefe
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chalcopyrite
Languages : en
Pages : 182

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Energy Research Abstracts

Energy Research Abstracts PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Power resources
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Chalcogenide Photovoltaics

Chalcogenide Photovoltaics PDF Author: Roland Scheer
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 3527633723
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 398

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Book Description
This first comprehensive description of the most important material properties and device aspects closes the gap between general books on solar cells and journal articles on chalcogenide-based photovoltaics. Written by two very renowned authors with years of practical experience in the field, the book covers II-VI and I-III-VI2 materials as well as energy conversion at heterojunctions. It also discusses the latest semiconductor heterojunction models and presents modern analysis concepts. Thin film technology is explained with an emphasis on current and future techniques for mass production, and the book closes with a compendium of failure analysis in photovoltaic thin film modules. With its overview of the semiconductor physics and technology needed, this practical book is ideal for students, researchers, and manufacturers, as well as for the growing number of engineers and researchers working in companies and institutes on chalcogenide photovoltaics.

SERI Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Bibliography, 1982-1985

SERI Photovoltaic Advanced Research and Development Bibliography, 1982-1985 PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Photovoltaic power generation
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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