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Role of the CdS buffer layer as an active optical element in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 thin‐film solar cells
Author(s) -
Orgassa Kay,
Rau Uwe,
Nguyen Quang,
Werner Schock Hans,
Werner Jürgen H.
Publication year - 2002
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.438
Subject(s) - copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , optoelectronics , materials science , heterojunction , buffer (optical fiber) , layer (electronics) , absorption (acoustics) , thin film , band gap , current density , quantum efficiency , reflection (computer programming) , solar cell , optics , nanotechnology , electrical engineering , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics , computer science , programming language , engineering
ZnO/CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) thin‐film heterojunction solar cells with CdS buffer layers of thicknesses between 0 and 85 nm are characterized by current–voltage, quantum efficiency, and optical reflection measurements. We investigate the correlation between the short‐circuit current density and the CdS layer thickness, focusing on the counteracting effects of light absorption and reduced optical reflection induced by the CdS layer. Both effects almost compensate each other for CdS layer thicknesses between 0 and 40 nm. Thus, an optimization of the short‐circuit current density is not achieved by omitting the CdS layer, but rather by replacing the CdS buffer with an alternative buffer material with higher bandgap energy and optical constants similar to those of CdS. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.