One-Step Electrochemical Deposition of Cu-In-Ga Mixed Oxide Thin Films for Low-Cost CIGS Solar Cells

We report the synthesis and characterization of pure ZnO, pure CeO2, and ZnO:CeO2 mixed oxide thin films dip-coated on glass substrates using a sol-gel technique. The structural properties of as-prepared thin film are investigated using the XRD technique. In particular, pure ZnO thin film is found to exhibit a hexagonal structure, while pure CeO2 thin film is found to exhibit a fluorite cubic structure. The diffraction patterns also show the formation of mixed oxide materials containing well-dispersed phases of semi-crystalline nature from both constituent oxides. Furthermore, optical properties of thin films are investigated by performing UV–Vis spectrophotometer measurements. In the visible region, transmittance of all investigated thin films attains values as high as 85%. Moreover, refractive index of pure ZnO film was found to exhibit values ranging between 1.57 and 1.85 while for CeO2 thin film, it exhibits values ranging between 1.73 and 2.25 as the wavelength of incident light decreases from 700 nm to 400 nm. Remarkably, refractive index of ZnO:CeO2 mixed oxide-thin films are tuned by controlling the concentration of CeO2 properly. Mixed oxide-thin films of controllable refractive indices constitute an important class of smart functional materials. We have also investigated the optoelectronic and dispersion properties of ZnO:CeO2 mixed oxide-thin films by employing well-established classical models. The melodramatic boost of optical and optoelectronic properties of ZnO:CeO2 mixed oxide thin films establish a strong ground to modify these properties in a skillful manner enabling their use as key potential candidates for the fabrication of scaled optoelectronic devices and thin film transistors.

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

International Journal of Photoenergy ◽

10.1155/2015/483147 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

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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Cu 2 Si x Sn 1− x S 3 Thin Films Prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering For Low-Cost Thin Film Solar Cells

Chinese Physics Letters ◽

10.1088/0256-307x/28/10/108801 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 28 (10) ◽

pp. 108801 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Chang Yan ◽

Fang-Yang Liu ◽

Yan-Qing Lai ◽

Jie Li ◽

Ye-Xiang Liu

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Low Cost ◽

Reactive Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Reactive Magnetron

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Electrochemical Deposition and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Thin Films

Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica ◽

10.3866/pku.whxb20050607 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (06) ◽

pp. 612-615

Author(s):

CHEN Zhi-gang ◽

◽

TANG Yi-wen ◽

ZHANG Li-sha ◽

CHEN Zheng-hua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Zinc Oxide ◽

Electrochemical Deposition ◽

Oxide Thin Films

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Fabrication of low cost kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) thin films as counter-electrode for dye sensitised solar cells (DSSCs)

Materials Technology ◽

10.1179/1753555715y.0000000007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 306-312 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S. Chen ◽

J. Tao ◽

H. Tao ◽

Y. Shen ◽

L. Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Counter Electrode ◽

Low Cost ◽

Czts Thin Films

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Temperature dependence of the optical properties of mixed oxide thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

10.1117/12.625069 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

M. Vergöhl ◽

B. Hunsche ◽

A. Ritz

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Optical Properties ◽

Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Temperature Dependence ◽

Mixed Oxide ◽

Reactive Magnetron Sputtering ◽

Reactive Magnetron ◽

Oxide Thin Films

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CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITION: A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD LOW COST SOLAR CELLS

Modern Physics Letters B ◽

10.1142/s0217984901002105 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 15 (17n19) ◽

pp. 605-608 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

A. NUÑEZ ◽

P. K. NAIR ◽

M. T. S. NAIR

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Chemical Bath Deposition ◽

Low Cost ◽

Promising Technology ◽

Cds Thin Films ◽

P Type ◽

Spectral Factor

Following the model of DeVos and Pauwels (1981), we calculated the spectral factor of efficiencies (η1) for n +-p or n +-i-p heterojunctions that can be formed by different thin absorber materials (p-type or intrinsic(i)) with n +-type CdS thin films produced by conversion of chemically deposited CdS thin films by doping with Cl or In as reported before. The materials with η1 comparable to that of CuInSe 2 (Eg, 1.01 eV: 57%) are AgBiS 2 (Eg, 0.9 eV: 56%), Cu 2 SnS 3 (Eg, 0.91 eV: 57%), PbSnS 3 (Eg, 1.05 eV: 57%), PbSbS 4 (Eg, 1.13 eV: 56%).

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