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Title: Optical properties of Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S thin films for CuInGaSe{sub 2} solar cell application

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
;  [1];  [2]
  1. The School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)
  2. CAS Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SICCAS), Shanghai (China)

The photovoltaic Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S thin films, fabricated by chemical bath deposition, were successfully used as n-type buffer layer in CuInGaSe{sub 2} (CIGS) solar cells. Comprehensive optical properties of the Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S thin films were measured and modeled by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), which is proven to be an excellent and non-destructive technique to determine optical properties of thin films. The optical band gap of Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S thin films can be tuned from 2.43 eV to 3.25 eV by controlling the Zn content (x) and deposition conditions. The wider-band-gap Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S film was found to be favorable to improve the quantum efficiency in the wavelength range of 450-550 nm, resulting in an increase of short-circuits current for solar cells. From the characterization of quantum efficiency (QE) and current-voltage curve (J-V) of CIGS cells, the Cd{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}S films (x = 0.32, 0.45) were demonstrated to significantly enhance the photovoltaic performance of CIGS solar cell. The highest efficiency (10.5%) of CIGS solar cell was obtained using a dense and homogenous Cd{sub 0.68}Zn{sub 0.32}S thin film as the buffer layer.

OSTI ID:
22202843
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 45, Issue 10; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English