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Title: Revealing Surface Modifications of Potassium-Fluoride-Treated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 : A Study of Material Structure, Chemistry, and Photovoltaic Performance

Journal Article · · Advanced Materials Interfaces
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO 80401 USA
  2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden CO 80401 USA; Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO 80401 USA
  3. Arizona State University, Tempe AZ 85281 USA
  4. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque NM 87185-0886 USA
  5. University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville TN 37996 USA
  6. Colorado School of Mines, Golden CO 80401 USA
+ Show Author Affiliations

The effects of alkali post-deposition treatments and device properties for polycrystalline thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se2 have been investigated. It is reported that these surface treatments lead to differences in interface chemistry and device properties. The behavior of defects in the space charge region as a function of different growth parameters is investigated by correlative analytical microscopy. The latter combines electron microscopy based imaging, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and atom probe tomography. Alkali treatments lead to copper depletion and consequent sharpening of the compositional profiles, and the measured electric potential differences of exposed Cu(In1-x,Gax)Se2 surfaces. Measurable differences in resistivity and potential have also been observed, which are expected to relate to the improved open-circuit voltage, fill-factor, and device efficiency. This study frames one perspective as to why post-deposition alkaline treatments lead to copper depletion, a mildly n-type semiconductor interface, and higher efficiency for a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film photovoltaic device.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1324528
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5K00-64198
Journal Information:
Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 3, Issue 17; ISSN 2196-7350
Publisher:
Wiley-VCH
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
APT
CIGS
KPFM
solar cells
STEM