Vacuum-Healing of Grain Boundaries in Sodium-Doped CuInSe2 Solar Cell Absorbers
Abstract
Alkali metal doping and grain boundaries (GB) have been at the center of attention within the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 photovoltaics community for years. This study provides the first experimental evidence that the GB of sodium-doped CuInSe2 thin films may undertake reversible oxidation even at room temperature, whereas undoped films may not. The findings are corroborated by cathodoluminescence imaging, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and Kelvin probe force microscopy on air-exposed films subsequently subject to vacuum. A thermochemical assessment identifies the likely solid-gas equilibria involved. These reactions open new research questions with respect to the beneficial role played by alkali metal dopants in chalcopyrite solar cells and may steer the community toward new breakthroughs.
- Authors:
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[1];
[2];
[3];
[4];
[5];
[6];
[7];
[2];
[2];
[4];
[4];
[5];
[5];
[2];
[8]
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, (Luxembourg)
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Braga (Portugal)
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology Material Research & Technology, Belvaux (Luxembourg)
- University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, (Luxembourg)
- University of Versailles (France)
- University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, (Luxembourg); Avancis GmbH, Munich (Germany)
- University of Genova (Italy)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1967954
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5K00-85809
Journal ID: ISSN 1614-6832; MainId:86582;UUID:e9e9d9a7-8b1f-46ff-96fc-c1b9e1fae4c9;MainAdminID:69158
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Energy Materials
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 13; Journal Issue: 17; Journal ID: ISSN 1614-6832
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; alkali metal post-deposition treatment; electrostatic potential fluctuations; grain boundaries; photovoltaics
Citation Formats
Babbe, Finn, Nicoara, Nicoleta, Guthrey, Harvey, Valle, Nathalie, Ramirez Sanchez, Omar, Aureau, Damien, Elanzeery, Hossam, Sharma, Deepanjan, Virtuoso, José Luís, Audinot, Jean‐Nicolas, Zelenina, Anastasiya, Gharabeiki, Sevan, Wirtz, Tom, Siebentritt, Susanne, Dale, Phillip J., Sadewasser, Sascha, and Colombara, Diego. Vacuum-Healing of Grain Boundaries in Sodium-Doped CuInSe2 Solar Cell Absorbers. United States: N. p., 2023.
Web. doi:10.1002/aenm.202204183.
Babbe, Finn, Nicoara, Nicoleta, Guthrey, Harvey, Valle, Nathalie, Ramirez Sanchez, Omar, Aureau, Damien, Elanzeery, Hossam, Sharma, Deepanjan, Virtuoso, José Luís, Audinot, Jean‐Nicolas, Zelenina, Anastasiya, Gharabeiki, Sevan, Wirtz, Tom, Siebentritt, Susanne, Dale, Phillip J., Sadewasser, Sascha, & Colombara, Diego. Vacuum-Healing of Grain Boundaries in Sodium-Doped CuInSe2 Solar Cell Absorbers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202204183
Babbe, Finn, Nicoara, Nicoleta, Guthrey, Harvey, Valle, Nathalie, Ramirez Sanchez, Omar, Aureau, Damien, Elanzeery, Hossam, Sharma, Deepanjan, Virtuoso, José Luís, Audinot, Jean‐Nicolas, Zelenina, Anastasiya, Gharabeiki, Sevan, Wirtz, Tom, Siebentritt, Susanne, Dale, Phillip J., Sadewasser, Sascha, and Colombara, Diego. Sun .
"Vacuum-Healing of Grain Boundaries in Sodium-Doped CuInSe2 Solar Cell Absorbers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202204183. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1967954.
@article{osti_1967954,
title = {Vacuum-Healing of Grain Boundaries in Sodium-Doped CuInSe2 Solar Cell Absorbers},
author = {Babbe, Finn and Nicoara, Nicoleta and Guthrey, Harvey and Valle, Nathalie and Ramirez Sanchez, Omar and Aureau, Damien and Elanzeery, Hossam and Sharma, Deepanjan and Virtuoso, José Luís and Audinot, Jean‐Nicolas and Zelenina, Anastasiya and Gharabeiki, Sevan and Wirtz, Tom and Siebentritt, Susanne and Dale, Phillip J. and Sadewasser, Sascha and Colombara, Diego},
abstractNote = {Alkali metal doping and grain boundaries (GB) have been at the center of attention within the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 photovoltaics community for years. This study provides the first experimental evidence that the GB of sodium-doped CuInSe2 thin films may undertake reversible oxidation even at room temperature, whereas undoped films may not. The findings are corroborated by cathodoluminescence imaging, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and Kelvin probe force microscopy on air-exposed films subsequently subject to vacuum. A thermochemical assessment identifies the likely solid-gas equilibria involved. These reactions open new research questions with respect to the beneficial role played by alkali metal dopants in chalcopyrite solar cells and may steer the community toward new breakthroughs.},
doi = {10.1002/aenm.202204183},
journal = {Advanced Energy Materials},
number = 17,
volume = 13,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2023},
month = {Sun Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2023}
}
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