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Synthesis and characterization of 15% efficient CIGSSe solar cells from nanoparticle inks
Author(s) -
McLeod Steven M.,
Hages Charles J.,
Carter Nathaniel J.,
Agrawal Rakesh
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.2588
Subject(s) - gallium , copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , indium , materials science , nanoparticle , solar cell , energy conversion efficiency , fabrication , optoelectronics , copper , solar cell efficiency , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , metallurgy , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering
We report a total‐area power conversion efficiency of 15% for a copper indium gallium disulfoselenide (CIGSSe) solar cell fabricated from a copper indium gallium disulfide (CIGS) nanoparticle ink based process. Careful optimization of the fabrication process has resulted in a significant improvement in efficiency compared to our previously reported efficiency of 12%. This efficiency ranks among the highest reported in the literature for solution processed CIGSSe. Despite having an absorber thickness of approximately 700–800 nm, which is less than half the thickness of high efficiency devices grown by both coevaporation and solution processes in the literature, our devices show good short‐circuit current (32.1 mA/cm 2 ). Surprisingly, the sintered film shows lateral composition fluctuations, which have not been reported for other high efficiency devices and may be responsible for the lower open circuit voltage (636 mV) observed here. This suggests an avenue for further improvement through optimization of the nanoparticle selenization process to better control composition in the sintered film. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.