IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i13p3938-d586454.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications

Author

Listed:
  • Deewakar Poudel

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

  • Benjamin Belfore

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

  • Tasnuva Ashrafee

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

  • Elizabeth Palmiotti

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA)

  • Shankar Karki

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

  • Grace Rajan

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

  • Thomas Lepetit

    (Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, Universite de Nantes, 44322 Nantes, France)

  • Angus Rockett

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA)

  • Sylvain Marsillac

    (Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA)

Abstract

Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (or CIGS) thin films and devices were fabricated using a modified three-stage process. Using high deposition rates and a low temperature during the process, a copper chloride vapor treatment was introduced in between the second and third stages to enhance the films properties. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy demonstrate that drastic changes occur after this recrystallization process, yielding films with much larger grains. Secondary ion mass spectrometry shows that the depth profile of many elements is not modified (such as Cu, In and Se) while others change dramatically (such as Ga and Na). Because of the competing effects of these changes, not all parameters of the solar cells are enhanced, yielding an increase of 15% in the device efficiency at the most.

Suggested Citation

  • Deewakar Poudel & Benjamin Belfore & Tasnuva Ashrafee & Elizabeth Palmiotti & Shankar Karki & Grace Rajan & Thomas Lepetit & Angus Rockett & Sylvain Marsillac, 2021. "In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-9, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:3938-:d:586454
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3938/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3938/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Deewakar Poudel & Shankar Karki & Benjamin Belfore & Grace Rajan & Sushma Swaraj Atluri & Sina Soltanmohammad & Angus Rockett & Sylvain Marsillac, 2020. "Degradation Mechanism Due to Water Ingress Effect on the Top Contact of Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-12, September.
    2. Orlando Ayala & Benjamin Belfore & Tasnuva Ashrafee & John Akwari & Grace Rajan & Shankar Karki & Deewakar Poudel & Sylvain Marsillac, 2021. "Theoretical Analysis of Experimental Data of Sodium Diffusion in Oxidized Molybdenum Thin Films," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:3938-:d:586454. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.