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.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the recombination reduction at surface and grain boundaries in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells by valence band control

2015 ◽  
Vol 1771 ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahito Nishimura ◽  
Yoshiaki Hirai ◽  
Yasuyoshi Kurokawa ◽  
Akira Yamada
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Valence Band ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Solar Cell Performance ◽  
Carrier Recombination ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Interfacial Recombination ◽  
Cigs Solar Cells ◽  
Ga Content

ABSTRACTWe carried out theoretical calculation for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells with energy bandgap of 1.4 eV assuming formation of a Cu-poor layer on the surface of CIGS films. This calculation result revealed that formation of a thinner Cu-poor layer such as a few nanometers leads to improvement of the solar cells performance. This is because interfacial recombination was suppressed due to repelling holes from the interface by valence band offset (ΔEV). Next, we investigated composition distribution in the cross section of CIGS solar cells with Ga contents of 30% and 70% by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). It was revealed that the Cu-poor layer was formed on the surface and at the grain boundary (GB) in the case of conversion efficiency (η) of 17.3%, although it was not formed in the case of lower η of 13.8% for a Ga content of 30%. These results indicate that formation of the Cu-poor layer contributed to improvement of cell performance by suppression of carrier recombination. Moreover, it was also confirmed that although the Cu-poor layer was observed on the surface, it was not observed at the GB in the case of CIGS solar cells with a Ga content of 70% which had η of 12.7%. It is thought that the effect of repelling holes by ΔEV is not obtained at the GB and the solar cell performance in the Ga content of 70% is lower than that in the Ga content of 30%. Thus, we suggest importance of the Cu-poor layer at the GB for high efficiency of CIGS solar cells with high Ga contents.

Rear surface passivation of high‐efficiency silicon solar cells by a floating junction

1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 3574-3586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pietro P. Altermatt ◽  
Gernot Heiser ◽  
Ximing Dai ◽  
Jörn Jürgens ◽  
Armin G. Aberle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells

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.

Properties of amorphous silicon passivation layers for all back contact c-Si heterojunction solar cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lulu Zhang ◽  
Ujjwal Das ◽  
Jesse Appel ◽  
Steve Hegedus ◽  
Robert Birkmire
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rear Surface ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
Band Alignment ◽  
Back Contact ◽  
Electronic Band ◽  
Structure Transition

ABSTRACTLow temperature deposited Interdigitated All Back Contact a-Si:H/c-Si Heterojunction (IBC-SHJ) devices are a promising approach for high efficiency, low cost solar cells on thin wafers. Thin intrinsic a-Si:H films (i-a-Si:H) deposited below 300°C provide excellent surface passivation and high Voc. However, the optical properties of a-Si:H layers and electronic band alignment at the heterointerface are critical to reduce optical losses and transport barriers in IBC-SHJ solar cells. At the front illumination surface, a wide band gap (Eg) i-a-Si:H layer with good passivation is desirable for high Voc and Jsc while at the rear surface a narrower Eg i-a-Si:H layer with good passivation is required for higher FF and Voc as seen in 2D numerical simulation. Various substrate temperature, H2/SiH4 dilution ratio and plasma power conditions were explored to obtain i-a-Si:H with good passivation and desired Eg. All the deposited films are characterized by Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (VASE) to determine Eg and thickness and by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to estimate hydrogen content and microstructure factor. Passivation qualities are examined by quasi-steady state photoconductance (QSS-PC) measurement. The i-layer Eg, was varied in the range from ~1.65eV to 1.91eV with lifetime >1 ms. Lowest Eg is obtained just prior to the structure transition from amorphous to epitaxial-like growth. The FF of IBC-SHJ devices improved from 20% to 70% as Eg of the a-Si:H rear passivation layer decreased from 1.78 to 1.65 eV.

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

scholarly journals Surface Passivation of Organometal Halide Perovskite by Atomic Layer Deposition: a Mechanism Investigation Enabling Efficient Inverted Planar Solar Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Zhao ◽  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Jiahao Zhu ◽  
Shuang Xiao ◽  
Wei Xiong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Atomic Layer Deposition ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Perovskite Solar Cells ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
Atomic Layer ◽  
Layer Deposition ◽  
Halide Perovskite ◽  
Interface Passivation

Interface passivation is of the pivot to achieve high-efficiency organic metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of wide band gap oxides has recently shown great potential...

Advances in Surface Passivation Schemes for High Efficiency c-Silicon Solar Cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 10659-10664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagarajan Balaji ◽  
Cheolmin Park ◽  
Seunghwan Lee ◽  
Youn-Jung Lee ◽  
Junsin Yi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Surface Passivation ◽  
Silicon 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...

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