Influence of grain boundary modification on limited performance of wide bandgap Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} solar cells
- Groupe de Physique des Materiaux (GPM), UMR 6634 CNRS, Université et INSA de Rouen, Avenue de l'Universite BP 12, 76801 Saint Etienne du Rouvray (France)
- Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel (IMN), UMR 6502 CNRS, Université de Nantes, 2 rue de la Houssiniere BP 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France)
The reason why so-called wide-bandgap CuIn{sub 1−x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2} (CIGSe with x > 0.4) based solar cells show hindered performance compared with theoretical expectations is still a matter of debate. In the present Letter, atom probe tomography studies of CuIn{sub 1−x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2} polycrystalline thin films with x varying from 0 to 1 are reported. These investigations confirm that the grain boundaries (GBs) of low gallium containing (x < 0.4) CIGSe layers are Cu-depleted compared with grains interior (GI). In contrast, it is observed that the GBs of widest band gap CIGSe films (x > 0.8) are Cu-enriched compared with GI. For intermediate gallium contents (0.4 < x < 0.8), both types of GBs are detected. This threshold value of 0.4 surprisingly coincides with solar cells output voltage deviation from theoretical expectations, which suggests modifications of GBs properties could participate in the loss of photovoltaic performance.
- OSTI ID:
- 22303969
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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