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CuIn 1− x Ga x Se 2 ‐based thin‐film solar cells by the selenization of sequentially evaporated metallic layers
Author(s) -
Caballero R.,
Guillén C.,
Gutiérrez M. T.,
Kaufmann C. A.
Publication year - 2006
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.649
Subject(s) - copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , materials science , crystallite , band gap , quantum efficiency , thin film , metal , energy conversion efficiency , solar cell , layer (electronics) , optoelectronics , short circuit , analytical chemistry (journal) , metallurgy , composite material , nanotechnology , voltage , chemistry , electrical engineering , engineering , chromatography
Polycrystalline CuIn 1− x Ga x Se 2 (CIGS) thin films were deposited by the non‐vacuum, near‐atmospheric‐pressure selenization of stacked metallic precursor layers. A study was carried out to investigate the influence of significant factors of the absorber on the solar cells performance. An efficiency enhancement was obtained for Cu/(In+Ga) atomic ratios between 0·93 and 0·95. The slope of the observed energy bandgap grading showed a strong influence on the V OC and the short circuit current density J SC . An increase of the Ga content in the active region of the absorber was achieved by the introduction of a thin Ga layer on the Mo back contact. This led to an improvement of efficiency and V OC . Furthermore, an enhanced carrier collection was detected by quantum efficiency measurements when the absorber layer thickness was slightly decreased. Conversion efficiencies close to 10% have been obtained for these devices. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.