Ag Nanowire Based Transparent Conductor for CIGS PV

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/pvsc.2011.6186214· OSTI ID:1048597

Woods, L M; Wolk, J; Smith, M; Davande, H; Ribelin, R M; Perkins, C L

Coated silver nanowires (AgNW) have been considered as a replacement for transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) in CIGS based photovoltaic devices. The advantages of AgNW over TCOs are discussed, and optical and electrical characteristics of AgNWs on glass are presented. Similarly fabricated AgNWs with varying sheet resistance on CIGS devices were tested against ITO transparent conductor controls. The CIGS was produced using a roll-to-roll technique on a flexible polymer substrate. Variations in the ZnO layer resistivity that are adjacent to the AgNW layer in the CIGS device were also tested. Device results indicate similar Jsc, but a reduced FF for cells made with the AgNWs, and Voc dependence on the resistivity of the coated AgNW and ZnO window layers. FF and Voc losses associated with the use of AgNWs are discussed.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Solar Energy Technologies Program
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1048597
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
GLASS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
POLYMERS
SILVER
Solar Energy - Photovoltaics
VOLATILE MATTER
WINDOWS