Research on Polycrystalline Thin Film CuGaInSe2 Solar Cells, Annual Subcontract Report, 3 May 1991 - 2 May 1992
This report describes research to fabricate high-efficiency CdZnS/CuInGaSe[sub 2] (CIGS) thin-film solar cells, and to develop improved transparent conductor window layers such as ZnO. A specific technical milestone was the demonstration of an air mass (AM) 1.5 global, 13% efficient, 1-cm[sup 2]-total-area CIGS thin-film solar cell. Our activities focused on three areas. First, a CIGS deposition: system was modified to double its substrate capacity, thus increasing throughput, which is critical to speeding the process development by providing multiple substrates from the same CIGS run. Second, new tooling was developed to enable an investigation of a modified aqueous CdZnS process. The goal was to improve the yield of this critical step in the device fabrication process. Third, our ZnO sputtering system was upgraded to improve its reliability, and the sputtering parameters were further optimized to improve its properties as a transparent conducting oxide. The characterization of the new CIGS deposition system substrate fixturing was completed, and we produced good thermal uniformity and adequately high temperatures for device-quality CIGS deposition. Both the CIGS and ZnO deposition processes were refined to yield a ZnO//Cd[sub 0.82]Zn[sub 0.18]S/CuIn[sub 0.80]Ga[sub 0.20]Se[sub 2] cell that was verified at NREL under standard testing conditions at 13.1% efficiency with V[sub oc] = 0.581 V, J[sub sc] = 34.8 mA/cm[sup 2], FF = 0.728, and a cell area of 0.979 cm[sup 2].
- 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:
- 7189216
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-413-5012; ON: DE92016439
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
COPPER
COPPER SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
COPPER SELENIDES
GALLIUM
GALLIUM SELENIDES
INDIUM
INDIUM SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
INDIUM SELENIDES
MATERIALS
POLYCRYSTALS
PROGRESS REPORT
REFLECTIVITY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
THIN FILMS
ZINC OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
COATINGS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
METALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE COATING
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
photovoltaics
solar cells
thin films
polycrystalline
copper
gallium
indium
selenide
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
360606 - Other Materials- Physical Properties- (1992-)