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

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

Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> (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 film...

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Main Authors: Deewakar Poudel, Benjamin Belfore, Tasnuva Ashrafee, Elizabeth Palmiotti, Shankar Karki, Grace Rajan, Thomas Lepetit, Angus Rockett, Sylvain Marsillac
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
copper indium gallium selenide
metal halide
recrystallization
solar cell
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3938
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spelling doaj-408cad56e574483c9c4488d669ac9eb22021-07-15T15:33:28ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-07-01143938393810.3390/en14133938In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell ApplicationsDeewakar Poudel0Benjamin Belfore1Tasnuva Ashrafee2Elizabeth Palmiotti3Shankar Karki4Grace Rajan5Thomas Lepetit6Angus Rockett7Sylvain Marsillac8Virginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAVirginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAVirginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USADepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USAVirginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAVirginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USAInstitut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, Universite de Nantes, 44322 Nantes, FranceDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USAVirginia Institute of Photovoltaics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USACu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> (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.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3938copper indium gallium selenidemetal haliderecrystallizationsolar cell
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Deewakar Poudel
Benjamin Belfore
Tasnuva Ashrafee
Elizabeth Palmiotti
Shankar Karki
Grace Rajan
Thomas Lepetit
Angus Rockett
Sylvain Marsillac
spellingShingle Deewakar Poudel
Benjamin Belfore
Tasnuva Ashrafee
Elizabeth Palmiotti
Shankar Karki
Grace Rajan
Thomas Lepetit
Angus Rockett
Sylvain Marsillac
In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
Energies
copper indium gallium selenide
metal halide
recrystallization
solar cell
author_facet Deewakar Poudel
Benjamin Belfore
Tasnuva Ashrafee
Elizabeth Palmiotti
Shankar Karki
Grace Rajan
Thomas Lepetit
Angus Rockett
Sylvain Marsillac
author_sort Deewakar Poudel
title In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
title_short In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
title_full In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
title_fullStr In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
title_full_unstemmed In Situ Recrystallization of Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> Thin Films by Copper Chloride Vapor Treatment towards Solar Cell Applications
title_sort in situ recrystallization of co-evaporated cu(in,ga)se<sub>2</sub> thin films by copper chloride vapor treatment towards solar cell applications
publisher MDPI AG
series Energies
issn 1996-1073
publishDate 2021-07-01
description Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> (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.
topic copper indium gallium selenide
metal halide
recrystallization
solar cell
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3938
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