The Effect of Soft Pre-Annealing of Differently Stacked Cu-Sn-Zn Precursors on the Quality of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Absorbers

ABSTRACTCu2ZnSnSe4 p-type semiconductors currently investigated for use in thin film solar cells can be synthesized by firstly depositing a metallic precursor and secondly annealing the precursor in selenium vapor. Differently stacked Cu-Sn-Zn metallic precursors were characterized after a soft annealing at 350°C under nitrogen atmosphere. For the stack where the Sn and Zn were in direct contact with sufficient Cu to form a stable alloy, a bi-layered structure consisting of Cu-Sn on the bottom and Cu-Zn on the top was formed. Contrarily, when Zn was not in direct contact with Cu, the metals diffused to form a stable alloy and the system segregates horizontally, forming a mixed columnar structure. These two types of precursors were selenized under exactly the same conditions to form kesterite absorbers for solar cell devices. Using this approach the improvement from 0.44% power conversion efficiency for the bi-layered precursor to 4.5% for the mixed precursor was achieved.

Download Full-text

CuInSe2 thin film solar cells prepared by low-cost electrodeposition techniques from a non-aqueous bath

RSC Advances ◽

10.1039/c5ra18315d ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (109) ◽

pp. 89635-89643 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Priyanka U. Londhe ◽

Ashwini B. Rohom ◽

Nandu B. Chaure

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Low Cost ◽

Cell Structure ◽

Power Conversion ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell Structure ◽

Cuinse2 Thin Film

Highly crystalline and stoichiometric CIS thin films have been electrodeposited from non-aqueous bath at temperature 130 °C. Superstrate solar cell structure (FTO/CdS/CIS/Au) exhibited 4.5% power conversion efficiency.

Download Full-text

First-principles calculation on electronic properties of Bismuth-halide inorganic perovskites for solar cell

Bolgoda Plains ◽

10.31705/bprm.2021.16 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 01 (01) ◽

pp. 56-57

Author(s):

Galhenage A. Sewvandi ◽

◽

J.T.S.T. Jayawardane ◽

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Power Conversion Efficiency ◽

Conversion Efficiency ◽

Photovoltaic Effect ◽

Power Conversion ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Halide Perovskite ◽

Lead Halide

Solar energy is a commonly used alternate source of energy and it can be utilized based on the principle of the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect converts sun energy into electrical energy using photovoltaic devices (solar cells). A solar cell device should have high efficiency and a long lifetime to be commercially beneficial. Presently, silicon and thin-film solar cells are widely employed. The crystalline solar cells are more efficient but they are also expensive. Thin-film solar cells are formed by placing one or more thin layers of photovoltaic materials on different substrates. Although these cells have a lower cost, they are also less efficient compared to Si-based solar cells. Organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskite solar cells are one of the most promising low-cost power conversion efficiency technologies that could exceed the 26% threshold. However, the lack of environmental stability and of high lead toxicity are the main bottlenecks that impede the future industrialization and commercialization hybrid lead halide perovskite. Hence It is important to achieve high power conversion efficiency while also maintaining stability and non-toxicity in the development of new lead-free perovskite materials.

Download Full-text

High Haze and Low Resistive MgO/AZO Bi-layer Transparent Conducting Oxide for Thin Film Solar Cells

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/opl.2011.1063 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1327 ◽

Author(s):

Dong Won Kang ◽

Jong Seok Woo ◽

Sung Hwan Choi ◽

Seung Yoon Lee ◽

Heon Min. Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Silicon Solar Cell ◽

Transparent Conducting Oxide ◽

Visible Region ◽

Xrd Analysis ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Microcrystalline Silicon ◽

Transparent Conducting

ABSTRACTWe have propsed MgO/AZO bi-layer transparent conducting oxide (TCO) for thin film solar cells. From XRD analysis, it was observed that the full width at half maximum of AZO decreased when it was grown on MgO precursor. The Hall mobility of MgO/AZO bi-layer was 17.5cm2/Vs, whereas that of AZO was 20.8cm2/Vs. These indicated that the crystallinity of AZO decreased by employing MgO precursor. However, the haze (=total diffusive transmittance/total transmittance) characteristics of highly crystalline AZO was significantly improved by MgO precursor. The average haze in the visible region increased from 14.3 to 48.2%, and that in the NIR region increased from 6.3 to 18.9%. The reflectance of microcrystalline silicon solar cell was decreased and external quantum efficiency was significantly improved by applying MgO/AZO bi-layer TCO. The efficiency of microcrystalline silicon solar cell with MgO/AZO bi-layer front TCO was 6.66%, whereas the efficiency of one with AZO single TCO was 5.19%.

Download Full-text

High open-circuit voltage (1.04 V) n–i–p type thin film silicon solar cell by two-phase silicon carbide intrinsic material

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells ◽

10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.011 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 130 ◽

pp. 561-566 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jun Ma ◽

Jian Ni ◽

JianJun Zhang ◽

Qun Liu ◽

XinLiang Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Silicon Carbide ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Silicon Solar Cell ◽

Open Circuit Voltage ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Two Phase ◽

Thin Film Silicon ◽

P Type

Download Full-text

Thin‐film solar cells exceeding 22% solar cell efficiency: An overview on CdTe-, Cu(In,Ga)Se2-, and perovskite-based materials

Applied Physics Reviews ◽

10.1063/1.5061809 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 041602 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Michael Powalla ◽

Stefan Paetel ◽

Erik Ahlswede ◽

Roland Wuerz ◽

Cordula D. Wessendorf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell Efficiency ◽

Cell Efficiency

Download Full-text

Impact of the n+ emitter layer on the structural and electrical properties of p-type polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells

Journal of Applied Physics ◽

10.1063/1.4823811 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 114 (13) ◽

pp. 134505 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

A. Kumar ◽

H. Hidayat ◽

C. Ke ◽

S. Chakraborty ◽

G. K. Dalapati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Electrical Properties ◽

Polycrystalline Silicon ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Emitter Layer ◽

Structural And Electrical Properties ◽

P Type

Download Full-text

Optimizing quality of lead-free perovskite thin film with anti-solvent engineering and co-doping SnBr2/SnF2; its solar cell performance

Optical Materials ◽

10.1016/j.optmat.2020.110524 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 110 ◽

pp. 110524

Author(s):

Ali Baltakesmez ◽

Betül Güzeldir ◽

Yunus Alkan ◽

Mustafa Sağlam ◽

Mehmet Biber

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Cell Performance ◽

Lead Free ◽

Solvent Engineering ◽

Solar Cell Performance ◽

Co Doping

Download Full-text

CdS-Free p-Type Cu2ZnSnSe4/Sputtered n-Type In x Ga1−x N Thin Film Solar Cells

Journal of Electronic Materials ◽

10.1007/s11664-016-5184-z ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 1481-1487

Author(s):

Wei-Liang Chen ◽

Dong-Hau Kuo ◽

Thi Tran Anh Tuan

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

P Type

Download Full-text

Highly Reflective Dielectric Back Reflector for Improved Efficiency of Tandem Thin-Film Solar Cells

International Journal of Photoenergy ◽

10.1155/2016/7390974 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Chog Barugkin ◽

Ulrich W. Paetzold ◽

Kylie R. Catchpole ◽

Angelika Basch ◽

Reinhard Carius

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Power Conversion Efficiency ◽

Conversion Efficiency ◽

Crystalline Silicon ◽

Power Conversion ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Average Reflectance ◽

Back Reflector ◽

Ag Reflector

We report on the prototyping and development of a highly reflective dielectric back reflector for application in thin-film solar cells. The back reflector is fabricated by Snow Globe Coating (SGC), an innovative, simple, and cheap process to deposit a uniform layer of TiO2particles which shows remarkably high reflectance over a broad spectrum (average reflectance of 99% from 500 nm to 1100 nm). We apply the highly reflective back reflector to tandem thin-film silicon solar cells and compare its performance with conventional ZnO:Al/Ag reflector. By using SGC back reflector, an enhancement of 0.5 mA/cm2in external quantum efficiency of the bottom solar cell and an absolute value of 0.2% enhancement in overall power conversion efficiency are achieved. We also show that the increase in power conversion efficiency is due to the reduction of parasitic absorption at the back contact; that is, the use of the dielectric reflector avoids plasmonic losses at the reference ZnO:Al/Ag back reflector. The Snow Globe Coating process is compatible with other types of solar cells such as crystalline silicon, III–V, and organic photovoltaics. Due to its cost effectiveness, stability, and excellent reflectivity above a wavelength of 400 nm, it has high potential to be applied in industry.

Download Full-text