Nonradiative Recombination Dominates Voltage Losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells Fabricated using Different Methods

Bothwell, Alexandra M.; Wands, Jake; Miller, Michael F.; Kanevce, Ana; Paetel, Stefan; Tsoulka, Polyxeni; Lepetit, Thomas; Barreau, Nicolas; Valdes, Nicholas; Shafarman, William; Rockett, Angus; Arehart, Aaron R.; Kuciauskas, Darius

doi:10.1002/solr.202300075

Nonradiative Recombination Dominates Voltage Losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ Solar Cells Fabricated using Different Methods

Journal Article · Thu Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Solar RRL

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.202300075· OSTI ID:1970804

^[1]; Wands, Jake ^[2]; Miller, Michael F. ^[3]; Kanevce, Ana ^[4]; Paetel, Stefan ^[4]; Tsoulka, Polyxeni ^[5]; Lepetit, Thomas ^[5]; Barreau, Nicolas ^[5]; Valdes, Nicholas ^[6]; Shafarman, William ^[6]; Rockett, Angus ^[2]; Arehart, Aaron R. ^[3]; Kuciauskas, Darius ^[1]

Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden CO 80401 USA
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
The Ohio State University Columbus OH 43210 USA
Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung 70563 Stuttgart Germany
Nantes Université CNRS Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel IMN F-44000 Nantes France
Institute of Energy Conversion University of Delaware Newark DE 19716 USA

Voltage losses reduce the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of thin‐film solar cells and are a primary efficiency limitation in Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ . Herein, voltage loss analysis of Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ solar cells fabricated at three institutions with variation in process, bandgap, absorber structure, postdeposition treatment (PDT), and efficiency is presented. Nonradiative voltage losses due to Shockley–Read–Hall charge carrier recombination dominate and constitute >75% of the total compared to <25% from radiative voltage losses. The radiative voltage loss results from nonideal absorption and carriers in band tails that stem from local composition‐driven potential fluctuations. It is shown that significant bulk lifetime improvements are achieved for all alkali PDT processed absorbers, chiefly associated with reductions in nonradiative recombination. Primary voltage loss contributions (radiative and nonradiative) change little across fabrication processes, but variation in submechanisms (bulk lifetime, net acceptor concentration, and interface recombination) differentiate nonradiative loss pathways in this series of solar cells.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; EE0008755

OSTI ID:: 1970804

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1969986
OSTI ID: 1983507

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-85231; 2300075

Journal Information:: Solar RRL, Journal Name: Solar RRL Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 7; ISSN 2367-198X

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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Nonradiative Recombination Dominates Voltage Losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ Solar Cells Fabricated using Different Methods