TY - JOUR
T1 - Ultra-thin CdS for highly performing chalcogenides thin film based solar cells
AU - Sánchez, Y.
AU - Espíndola-Rodríguez, M.
AU - Xie, H.
AU - López-Marino, S.
AU - Neuschitzer, M.
AU - Giraldo, S.
AU - Dimitrievska, M.
AU - Placidi, M.
AU - Izquierdo-Roca, V.
AU - Pulgarín-Agudelo, F. A.
AU - Vigil-Galán, O.
AU - Saucedo, E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2016/12/1
Y1 - 2016/12/1
N2 - Ultra-thin CdS layers non intentionally doped and doped with Cu were grown by chemical bath deposition and applied as buffer layers for chalcogenide CuIn1−xGaxSe2 and Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) based solar cells. We demonstrate that the use of Cu as dopant allows to reduce the CdS thickness below 30 nm while keeping the same efficiency levels as those obtained with conventional 70 nm in thickness undoped CdS. This is mainly explained by the improved VOC values when Cu-doped CdS is employed, obtaining voltages among the highest reported values, especially for CZTSe devices. We propose the formation of a metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) type device for explaining the observed experimental behavior based in indirect optoelectronic characterization of the layers and devices. This opens the possibility to use ultra-thin buffer layers for high efficiency chalcogenide based solar cells, reducing the environmental impact of the CdS buffer deposition, without detrimental impact on the optoelectronic properties of the devices.
AB - Ultra-thin CdS layers non intentionally doped and doped with Cu were grown by chemical bath deposition and applied as buffer layers for chalcogenide CuIn1−xGaxSe2 and Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) based solar cells. We demonstrate that the use of Cu as dopant allows to reduce the CdS thickness below 30 nm while keeping the same efficiency levels as those obtained with conventional 70 nm in thickness undoped CdS. This is mainly explained by the improved VOC values when Cu-doped CdS is employed, obtaining voltages among the highest reported values, especially for CZTSe devices. We propose the formation of a metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) type device for explaining the observed experimental behavior based in indirect optoelectronic characterization of the layers and devices. This opens the possibility to use ultra-thin buffer layers for high efficiency chalcogenide based solar cells, reducing the environmental impact of the CdS buffer deposition, without detrimental impact on the optoelectronic properties of the devices.
KW - CdS:Cu doping
KW - Cu(In,Ga)Se
KW - CuZnSn(S,Se)
KW - MIS structure
KW - Thin film solar cells
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961354020&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2015.12.037
DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2015.12.037
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0927-0248
VL - 158
SP - 138
EP - 146
JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
ER -