Search Menu
DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search Scholarly Publications

Title: Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface

Abstract

The chemical structure of the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) interface was studied by a combination of electron and X-ray spectroscopies with varying surface sensitivity. We find the CdS chemical bath deposition causes a “redistribution” of elements in the proximity of the CdS/CZTSe interface. In detail, our data suggest that Zn and Se from the Znterminated CZTSe absorber and Cd and S from the buffer layer form a Zn–Se–Cd–S interlayer. We find direct indications for the presence of Cd–S, Cd–Se, and Cd–Se–Zn bonds at the buffer/absorber interface. Thus, we propose the formation of a mixed Cd(S,Se)– (Cd,Zn)Se interlayer. We suggest the underlying chemical mechanism is an ion exchange mediated by the amine complexes present in the chemical bath.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [4];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Renewable Energy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB), Berlin, Germany, Institut für Physik, Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany
  2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colorado, United States
  3. Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
  4. Renewable Energy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH (HZB), Berlin, Germany
  5. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, Engineering Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
  6. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
  7. Advanced Light Source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin (Germany)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1374462
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1390772; OSTI ID: 1426731; OSTI ID: 1508318
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5J00-69109
Journal ID: ISSN 2380-8195
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231; AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
ACS Energy Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: ACS Energy Letters Journal Volume: 2 Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2380-8195
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; absorbers; buffer layers; interlayers; chemical structure

Citation Formats

Bär, Marcus, Repins, Ingrid, Weinhardt, Lothar, Alsmeier, Jan-Hendrik, Pookpanratana, Sujitra, Blum, Monika, Yang, Wanli, Heske, Clemens, Wilks, Regan G., and Noufi, Rommel. Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00140.
Copy to clipboard
Bär, Marcus, Repins, Ingrid, Weinhardt, Lothar, Alsmeier, Jan-Hendrik, Pookpanratana, Sujitra, Blum, Monika, Yang, Wanli, Heske, Clemens, Wilks, Regan G., & Noufi, Rommel. Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00140
Copy to clipboard
Bär, Marcus, Repins, Ingrid, Weinhardt, Lothar, Alsmeier, Jan-Hendrik, Pookpanratana, Sujitra, Blum, Monika, Yang, Wanli, Heske, Clemens, Wilks, Regan G., and Noufi, Rommel. Wed . "Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00140.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_1374462,
title = {Zn–Se–Cd–S Interlayer Formation at the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface},
author = {Bär, Marcus and Repins, Ingrid and Weinhardt, Lothar and Alsmeier, Jan-Hendrik and Pookpanratana, Sujitra and Blum, Monika and Yang, Wanli and Heske, Clemens and Wilks, Regan G. and Noufi, Rommel},
abstractNote = {The chemical structure of the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) interface was studied by a combination of electron and X-ray spectroscopies with varying surface sensitivity. We find the CdS chemical bath deposition causes a “redistribution” of elements in the proximity of the CdS/CZTSe interface. In detail, our data suggest that Zn and Se from the Znterminated CZTSe absorber and Cd and S from the buffer layer form a Zn–Se–Cd–S interlayer. We find direct indications for the presence of Cd–S, Cd–Se, and Cd–Se–Zn bonds at the buffer/absorber interface. Thus, we propose the formation of a mixed Cd(S,Se)– (Cd,Zn)Se interlayer. We suggest the underlying chemical mechanism is an ion exchange mediated by the amine complexes present in the chemical bath.},
doi = {10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00140},
journal = {ACS Energy Letters},
number = 7,
volume = 2,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Wed Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
Copy to clipboard
Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00140
Copyright Statement
Other availability
Search WorldCat Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 28 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

Works referenced in this record:

Effects of deposition termination on Cu2ZnSnSe4 device characteristics
journal, May 2015

X-Ray Wavelengths
journal, January 1967

Phase identification and control of thin films deposited by co-evaporation of elemental Cu, Zn, Sn, and Se
journal, September 2012

  • Vora, Nirav; Blackburn, Jeffrey; Repins, Ingrid
  • Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 30, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1116/1.4732529

Atomic subshell photoionization cross sections and asymmetry parameters: 1 ⩽ Z ⩽ 103
journal, January 1985

In Situ thickness measurements of chemical bath-deposited CdS
journal, February 2010

High-resolution, high-transmission soft x-ray spectrometer for the study of biological samples
journal, June 2009

  • Fuchs, O.; Weinhardt, L.; Blum, M.
  • Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 80, Issue 6
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3133704

Co-evaporated Cu2ZnSnSe4 films and devices
journal, June 2012

Observation of intermixing at the buried CdS/Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin film solar cell heterojunction
journal, March 1999

  • Heske, C.; Eich, D.; Fink, R.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 74, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.123578

Mechanism of Chemical Bath Deposition of Cadmium Sulfide Thin Films in the Ammonia‐Thiourea System: In Situ Kinetic Study and Modelization
journal, December 1993

  • Ortega‐Borges, Raúl; Lincot, Daniel
  • Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 140, Issue 12
  • DOI: 10.1149/1.2221111

Sulfur gradient-driven Se diffusion at the CdS/CuIn(S,Se)2 solar cell interface
journal, May 2010

  • Weinhardt, L.; Bär, M.; Pookpanratana, S.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 18
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3425666

CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface formation in high-efficiency thin film solar cells
journal, August 2010

  • Pookpanratana, S.; Repins, I.; Bär, M.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 97, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3481405

Beyond 11% Efficiency: Characteristics of State-of-the-Art Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 Solar Cells
journal, August 2012

  • Todorov, Teodor K.; Tang, Jiang; Bag, Santanu
  • Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 3, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201200348

Cd2+/NH3 treatment of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin-film solar cell absorbers: a model for the performance-enhancing processes in the partial electrolyte
journal, January 2005

  • Bär, M.; Weinhardt, L.; Heske, C.
  • Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 13, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1002/pip.618

Fityk : a general-purpose peak fitting program
journal, September 2010

Solid and liquid spectroscopic analysis (SALSA)–a soft x-ray spectroscopy endstation with a novel flow-through liquid cell
journal, December 2009

  • Blum, M.; Weinhardt, L.; Fuchs, O.
  • Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 80, Issue 12
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3257926

Cliff-like conduction band offset and KCN-induced recombination barrier enhancement at the CdS/Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 thin-film solar cell heterojunction
journal, November 2011

  • Bär, M.; Schubert, B. -A.; Marsen, B.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 22
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.3663327

Hartree-Slater subshell photoionization cross-sections at 1254 and 1487 eV
journal, January 1976

    Sort by:
    [ × clear filter / sort ]

    Similar Records in DOE PAGES and OSTI.GOV collections: