Review of grain interior, grain boundary, and interface effects of K in CIGS solar cells: Mechanisms for performance enhancement
Abstract
Introducing K into Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S) 2 (CIGS) absorbers has led to recent world record power conversion efficiencies for thin film polycrystalline solar cells. In this work, the diverse phenomena associated with K in CIGS were reviewed, and overarching mechanisms were identified. The effects of K depend on its distribution among grain interiors (GIs), grain boundaries (GBs), and interfaces. High substrate Na and low temperature favor GI K incorporation, while low Na and high temperature favor segregation of K at GBs. Depositing KInSe 2 (or KIn 1-yGaySe 2) by co-evaporation or KF post-deposition treatment onto CIGS reduces buffer interface recombination in the final solar cells. KInSe 2 decomposes in air, which makes characterization difficult and may affect performance. In conclusion, the mechanism for reduced interface recombination could be direct passivation, beneficial compound precursor, oxidation barrier, or favorable diffusion alteration.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1373683
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1549569
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-68981
Journal ID: ISSN 0927-0248
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 172; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0927-0248
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; chalcopyrite; Cu(In,Ga)Se2; potassium; alkali metal; KInSe2; K(In,Ga)Se2
Citation Formats
Muzzillo, Christopher P. Review of grain interior, grain boundary, and interface effects of K in CIGS solar cells: Mechanisms for performance enhancement. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2017.07.006.
Muzzillo, Christopher P. Review of grain interior, grain boundary, and interface effects of K in CIGS solar cells: Mechanisms for performance enhancement. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2017.07.006
Muzzillo, Christopher P. Sun .
"Review of grain interior, grain boundary, and interface effects of K in CIGS solar cells: Mechanisms for performance enhancement". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2017.07.006. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1373683.
@article{osti_1373683,
title = {Review of grain interior, grain boundary, and interface effects of K in CIGS solar cells: Mechanisms for performance enhancement},
author = {Muzzillo, Christopher P.},
abstractNote = {Introducing K into Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGS) absorbers has led to recent world record power conversion efficiencies for thin film polycrystalline solar cells. In this work, the diverse phenomena associated with K in CIGS were reviewed, and overarching mechanisms were identified. The effects of K depend on its distribution among grain interiors (GIs), grain boundaries (GBs), and interfaces. High substrate Na and low temperature favor GI K incorporation, while low Na and high temperature favor segregation of K at GBs. Depositing KInSe2 (or KIn1-yGaySe2) by co-evaporation or KF post-deposition treatment onto CIGS reduces buffer interface recombination in the final solar cells. KInSe2 decomposes in air, which makes characterization difficult and may affect performance. In conclusion, the mechanism for reduced interface recombination could be direct passivation, beneficial compound precursor, oxidation barrier, or favorable diffusion alteration.},
doi = {10.1016/j.solmat.2017.07.006},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1373683},
journal = {Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells},
issn = {0927-0248},
number = C,
volume = 172,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {7}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
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- Kormath Madam Raghupathy, Ramya; Kühne, Thomas D.; Henkelman, Graeme
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- Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 10, Issue 8
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- Khatri, Ishwor; Matsuura, Junpei; Sugiyama, Mutsumi
- Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 27, Issue 1
Localized Photoluminescence Imaging of Bi-Layered Cuprous/Cupric Oxide Semiconductor Films by Synchrotron Radiation
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- Kobayashi, Masakazu; Izaki, Masanobu; Shinagawa, Tsutomu
- physica status solidi (b), Vol. 256, Issue 3
Effect of Combined Alkali (KF + CsF) Post-Deposition Treatment on Cu(InGa)Se 2 Solar Cells
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- Kim, Shinho; Tampo, Hitoshi; Shibata, Hajime
- physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters, Vol. 12, Issue 10
Proton Irradiation on Cesium‐Fluoride‐Free and Cesium‐Fluoride‐Treated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells and Annealing Effects under Illumination
journal, May 2019
- Khatri, Ishwor; Lin, Tzu-Ying; Nakada, Tokio
- physica status solidi (RRL) – Rapid Research Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 12
No Evidence for Passivation Effects of Na and K at Grain Boundaries in Polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Thin Films for Solar Cells
journal, May 2019
- Abou-Ras, Daniel; Nikolaeva, Aleksandra; Caicedo Dávila, Sebastián
- Solar RRL, Vol. 3, Issue 8
Direct evidence for grain boundary passivation in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells through alkali-fluoride post-deposition treatments
journal, September 2019
- Nicoara, Nicoleta; Manaligod, Roby; Jackson, Philip
- Nature Communications, Vol. 10, Issue 1
Surface passivation and point defect control in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 films with a Na 2 S post deposition treatment for higher than 19% CIGS cell performance
journal, January 2019
- Kim, Seung Tae; Larina, Liudmila; Yun, Jae Ho
- Sustainable Energy & Fuels, Vol. 3, Issue 3
Cd-Free Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 solar cell with an efficiency greater than 10% enabled by Al 2 O 3 passivation layers
journal, January 2019
- Cui, Xin; Sun, Kaiwen; Huang, Jialiang
- Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 12, Issue 9