TY - JOUR
T1 - Electrochemical etching of the CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2 absorber films prepared by non-vacuum process
AU - Hsiang, Hsing I.
AU - Lin, Hung Yi
AU - Sanjaya, Brahma
AU - Shen, Yu-Min
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2025/1/5
Y1 - 2025/1/5
N2 - In this study, the chalcopyrite (CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2, CIGS) powders were synthesized by the heating-up method and CIGS light-absorbing layer films were prepared by non-vacuum slurry coating method followed by sintering under different atmospheres. The surface roughness of the as-prepared film was usually higher and the secondary phase in the form of Cu2-xSe often appeared on the surface of the film, which led to the decrease in the conversion efficiency. A simple electrochemical etching process was used to modify the surface of CIGS light-absorbing layer and improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The current density of CIGS thin films was promoted from 1.78 mA/cm2 to 3.58 mA/cm2 by using electrochemical etching process. The highest current density of 3.94 mA/cm2 was obtained by optimizing the number of cyclic voltammetry cycles and thickness of the CdS buffer layer. The surface roughness of the CIGS film was reduced after electrochemical etching process leading to the decrease in the resistance between grain boundaries, increase in the carrier mobility, and hence increase the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Moreover, the chemical composition changed from copper rich to copper deficiency. The N-type Cu(In1-xGax)3Se5 (order vacancy compound, OVC) was formed on the CIGS surface, and hence a pseudo-homo-junction was built. This pseudo-homo-junction facilitates the conversion efficiency of the p-n junction of the CdS buffer layer-CIGS and the light-induced charge separation. The surface concentration composition of the CIGS film after electrochemical etching resulted in the energy gap match between the CdS and CIGS junctions, thereby improving the solar cell conversion efficiency.
AB - In this study, the chalcopyrite (CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2, CIGS) powders were synthesized by the heating-up method and CIGS light-absorbing layer films were prepared by non-vacuum slurry coating method followed by sintering under different atmospheres. The surface roughness of the as-prepared film was usually higher and the secondary phase in the form of Cu2-xSe often appeared on the surface of the film, which led to the decrease in the conversion efficiency. A simple electrochemical etching process was used to modify the surface of CIGS light-absorbing layer and improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The current density of CIGS thin films was promoted from 1.78 mA/cm2 to 3.58 mA/cm2 by using electrochemical etching process. The highest current density of 3.94 mA/cm2 was obtained by optimizing the number of cyclic voltammetry cycles and thickness of the CdS buffer layer. The surface roughness of the CIGS film was reduced after electrochemical etching process leading to the decrease in the resistance between grain boundaries, increase in the carrier mobility, and hence increase the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Moreover, the chemical composition changed from copper rich to copper deficiency. The N-type Cu(In1-xGax)3Se5 (order vacancy compound, OVC) was formed on the CIGS surface, and hence a pseudo-homo-junction was built. This pseudo-homo-junction facilitates the conversion efficiency of the p-n junction of the CdS buffer layer-CIGS and the light-induced charge separation. The surface concentration composition of the CIGS film after electrochemical etching resulted in the energy gap match between the CdS and CIGS junctions, thereby improving the solar cell conversion efficiency.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.177995
DO - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.177995
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85211503644
SN - 0925-8388
VL - 1010
JO - Journal of Alloys and Compounds
JF - Journal of Alloys and Compounds
M1 - 177995
ER -