Damp heat induced degradation mechanisms occurring in coloured oxide/metal/oxide films for thin-film solar cells

AbstractOxide/metal/oxide (OMO) layer stacks are used to replace transparent conductive oxides as front contact of thin-film solar cells. These multilayer structures not only reduce the overall thickness of the contact, but can be used for colouring of the cells utilizing interference effects. However, sheet resistance and parasitic absorption, both of which depend heavily on the metal layer, should be further reduced to reach higher efficiencies in the solar cells. In this publication, AgOX wetting layers were applied to OMO electrodes to improve the performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cells. We show that an AgOX wetting layer is an effective measure to increase transmission and conductivity of the multilayer electrode. With the presented approach, we were able to improve the short-circuit current density by 18% from 28.8 to 33.9 mA/cm2 with a metal (Ag) film thickness as low as 6 nm. Our results highlight that OMO electrodes can be an effective replacement for conventional transparent conductive oxides like aluminium-doped zinc oxide on thin-film solar cells.

Download Full-text

High deposition rate aluminium-doped zinc oxide films with highly efficient light trapping for silicon thin film solar cells

Thin Solid Films ◽

10.1016/j.tsf.2007.06.006 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 516 (6) ◽

pp. 1242-1248 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

S. Calnan ◽

J. Hüpkes ◽

B. Rech ◽

H. Siekmann ◽

A.N. Tiwari

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Zinc Oxide ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Deposition Rate ◽

Light Trapping ◽

Oxide Films ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

High Deposition Rate ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Zinc Oxide Films

Download Full-text

Multifunctional metal oxide electrodes: Colour for thin film solar cells

Thin Solid Films ◽

10.1016/j.tsf.2019.06.012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 685 ◽

pp. 131-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nils Neugebohrn ◽

Kai Gehrke ◽

Karoline Brucke ◽

Maximilian Götz ◽

Martin Vehse

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Oxide Electrodes

Download Full-text

Highly transparent and conductive oxide-metal-oxide electrodes optimized at the percolation thickness of AgOx for transparent silicon thin-film solar cells

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2019.110131 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 202 ◽

pp. 110131 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Hyunjin Jo ◽

Jo-Hwa Yang ◽

Soo-Won Choi ◽

Jaeho Park ◽

Eun Jin Song ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Oxide Electrodes ◽

Conductive Oxide

Download Full-text

Photoelectrochemical water splitting: a road from stable metal oxides to protected thin film solar cells

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/d0ta02755c ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (21) ◽

pp. 10625-10669 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Carles Ros ◽

Teresa Andreu ◽

Joan R. Morante

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

Metal Oxides ◽

Detailed Analysis ◽

Water Splitting ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Third Generation ◽

Liquid Junction ◽

Oxide Electrodes

The present review offers a detailed analysis of Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices from metal oxide electrodes forming a semiconductor–liquid junction to protected and catalyst-decorated third generation solar cells adapted into photoelectrodes.

Download Full-text

Epitaxial metal oxide films, a leading candidate for 21st century thin film technology

Thin Solid Films ◽

10.1016/0040-6090(92)90869-d ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 216 (1) ◽

pp. 52-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

T. Venkatesan

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

21St Century ◽

Oxide Films ◽

Metal Oxide Films ◽

Thin Film Technology

Download Full-text

Hydrogen mediated self-textured zinc oxide films for silicon thin film solar cells

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2012.03.033 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 103 ◽

pp. 134-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Qian Huang ◽

Yang Liu ◽

Susu Yang ◽

Ying Zhao ◽

Xiaodan Zhang

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Zinc Oxide ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Oxide Films ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Zinc Oxide Films

Download Full-text

Highly Transparent AZO/Ag/AZO Multilayer Front Contact for n-i-p Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/opl.2012.864 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1426 ◽

pp. 93-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Martin Theuring ◽

Martin Vehse ◽

Ibrahim Noureddine ◽

Karsten von Maydell ◽

Carsten Agert

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Metal Oxide ◽

Electrical Contacts ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Multilayer Systems ◽

Amorphous Silicon Solar Cell ◽

Low Temperature Processing ◽

Measurement Results

ABSTRACTOxide-metal-oxide structures are an alternative to single material transparent electrical contacts. Among other advantages, these multilayer systems provide good conductivity and transmittance, even when fabricated at room temperature. Low temperature processing is a requirement for silicon thin-film solar cells on various flexible substrates. The design and fabrication of oxide-metal-oxide structures based on ZnO:Al and Ag are investigated in this work. Further the integration of an optimized multilayer electrode into an amorphous silicon solar cell in substrate configuration was performed. Measurement results and possible loss mechanisms are discussed.

Download Full-text