Search

Photoluminescence (PL) is commonly used for investigations of Cu2ZnSnS(e)4 [CZTS(e)] and Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells. The influence of interference effects on these measurements is, however, largely overlooked in the community. Here, it is demonstrated that PL spectra of typical CZTS absorbers on Mo/glass substrates can be heavily distorted by interference effects. One reason for the pronounced interference in CZTS is the low reabsorption of the PL emission that typically occurs below the band gap. A similar situation occurs in band gap graded CIGS where the PL emission originates predominantly from the band gap minimum located at the notch region. Based on an optical model for interference effects of PL emitted from a thin film, several approaches to reduce the fringing are identified and tested experimentally. These approaches include the use of measured reflectance data, a calculated interference function, use of high angles of incidence during PL measurements as well as the measurement of polarized light near the Brewster angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical modeling of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells with Zn1-xMgxO buffer layers is performed. A number of different device models are implemented and tested by comparing simulation results and measurement data. Room temperature light-soaking and dark-light cross-over behavior as well as low-temperature characteristics of these cells are studied. The light-soaking improvements in the solar cell parameters are attributed to an increase in buffer donor density, due to persistent photo conductivity, that counteracts charged acceptors in the absorber-buffer region. Dark-light JV-curve cross-over is explained by deep acceptor defects with small electron capture cross-section, in the buffer. Best correspondence to measurements on ZnO and Zn0.83Mg0.17O cells is obtained with models including absorber-buffer interface acceptor states. No wideband-gap surface defect layer is needed to reproduce measurement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film solar cells with the structure soda lime glass/Mo/Cu(In,Ga)Se2/Zn(O,S)/ZnO/ZnO:Al are studied for varying thickness and sulfur content of the Zn(O,S) buffer layer. These Zn(O,S) layers were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 120 °C. Devices with no or small concentrations of sulfur in the buffer layer show low open-circuit voltages. This is explained by the cliff, or negative conduction-band offset (CBO), of -0.2 eV measured by photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) and optical methods for the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)/ZnO interface. Devices with ZnS buffer layers exhibit very low photocurrent. This is expected from the large positive CBO (spike) of 1.2 eV measured for the CIGS/ZnS interface. For devices with Zn(O,S) buffer layers, two different deposition recipes were found to yield devices with efficiencies equal to or above reference devices in which standard CdS buffer layers were used; ultrathin Zn(O,S) layers with S/Zn ratios of 0.8–0.9, and Zn(O,S) layers of around 30 nm with average S/Zn ratios of 0.3. The sulfur concentration increases towards the CIGS interface as revealed by transmission electron microscopy and in vacuo PES measurements. The occurrence of this sulfur gradient in ALD-Zn(O,S) is explained by longer incubation time for ZnO growth compared to ZnS growth. For the Zn(O,S) film with high sulfur content, the CBO is large which causes blocking of the photocurrent unless the film is ultrathin. For the Zn(O,S) film with lower sulfur content, a CBO of 0.2 eV is obtained which is close to ideal, according to simulations. Efficiencies of up to 16.4% are obtained for devices with this buffer layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells typically include a CdS buffer layer in between the CZTS and ZnO front contact. For sulfide CZTS, with a bandgap around 1.5 eV, the band alignment between CZTS and CdS is not ideal ("cliff-like"), which enhances interface recombination. In this work, we show how a Zn1-xSnxOy (ZTO) buffer layer can replace CdS, resulting in improved open circuit voltages (Voc) for CZTS devices. The ZTO is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), with a process previously developed for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. By varying the ALD process temperature, the position of the conduction band minimum of the ZTO is varied in relation to that of CZTS. A ZTO process at 95 °C is found to give higher Voc and efficiency as compared with the CdS reference devices. For a ZTO process at 120 °C, where the conduction band alignment is expected to be the same as for CdS, the Voc and efficiency is similar to the CdS reference. Further increase in conduction band minimum by lowering the deposition temperature to 80 °C shows blocking of forward current and reduced fill factor, consistent with barrier formation at the junction. Temperature-dependent current voltage analysis gives an activation energy for recombination of 1.36 eV for the best ZTO device compared with 0.98 eV for CdS. We argue that the Voc of the best ZTO devices is limited by bulk recombination, in agreement with a room temperature photoluminescence peak at around 1.3 eV for both devices, while the CdS device is limited by interface recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applicability of standard methods for compositional analysis is limited for H-containing films. Neutron reflectometry is a powerful, non-destructive method that is especially suitable for these systems due to the large negative scattering length of H. In this work, we demonstrate how neutron reflectometry can be used to investigate thin films of yttrium hydride. Neutron reflectometry gives a strong contrast between the film and the surface oxide layer, enabling us to estimate the oxide thickness and oxygen penetration depths. A surface oxide layer of 5-10 nm thickness was found for unprotected yttrium hydride films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]