ZnO:Al Doping Level and Hydrogen Growth Ambient Effects on CIGS Solar Cell Performance: Preprint

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) cells require a highly conducting and transparent electrode for optimum device performance. ZnO:Al films grown from targets containing 2.0 wt.% Al2O3 are commonly used for this purpose. Maximum carrier mobilities of these films grown at room temperature are ~20-25 cm2V-1s-1. Therefore, relatively high carrier concentrations are required to achieve the desired conductivity, which leads to free carrier absorption in the near infrared (IR). Lightly doped films (0.05 - 0.2 wt.% Al2O3), which show less IR absorption, reach mobility values greater than 50 cm2V-1s-1 when deposited in H2 partial pressure. We incorporate these lightly doped ZnO:Al layers into CIGS PV cells produced at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Preliminary results show quantum efficiency values of these cells rival those of a past world-record cell produced at NREL that used 2.0 wt.% Al-doped ZnO films. The highest cell efficiency obtained in this trial was 18.1%

CuInSe2 thin films produced by rf sputtering in Ar/H2 atmospheres

Structural, compositional, optical, and electrical properties of CuInSe2thin filmsgrown by rf reactive sputtering from a Se excess target in Ar/H2 atmospheres are presented. The addition of H2 to the sputtering atmospheres allows the control of stoichiometry of films giving rise to remarkable changes in the film properties. Variation of substrate temperature causes changes in film composition because of the variation of hydrogen reactivity at the substrate. Measurements of resistivity at variable temperatures indicate a hopping conduction mechanism through gap states for films grown at low temperature (100–250 °C), the existence of three acceptor levels at about 0.046, 0.098, and 0.144 eV above valence band for films grown at intermediate temperature (250–350 °C), and a pseudometallic behavior for film grown at high temperatures (350–450 °C). Chalcopyrite polycrystalline thin films of CuInSe2 with an average grain size of 1 μm, an optical gap of 1.01 eV, and resistivities from 10− 1 to 103 Ω cm can be obtained by adding 1.5% of H2 to the sputtering atmosphere and by varying the substrate temperature from 300 to 400 °C

Electrochemically synthesized polymers in molecular imprinting for chemical sensing

This critical review describes a class of polymers prepared by electrochemical polymerization that employs the concept of molecular imprinting for chemical sensing. The principal focus is on both conducting and nonconducting polymers prepared by electropolymerization of electroactive functional monomers, such as pristine and derivatized pyrrole, aminophenylboronic acid, thiophene, porphyrin, aniline, phenylenediamine, phenol, and thiophenol. A critical evaluation of the literature on electrosynthesized molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) applied as recognition elements of chemical sensors is presented. The aim of this review is to highlight recent achievements in analytical applications of these MIPs, including present strategies of determination of different analytes as well as identification and solutions for problems encountered

Junction Formation in CuInSe{sub 2} Based Thin Film Devices

The nature of the interface between CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) and the chemical bath deposited CdS layer has been investigated. We show that heat-treating the absorbers in Cd- or Zn-containing solutions in the presence of ammonium hydroxide sets up a chemical reaction which facilitates an extraction of Cu from the lattice and an in-diffusion of Cd. The characteristics of devices made in this manner suggest that the reaction generates a thin, n-doped region in the absorber. It is quite possible that the CdS/CuInSe{sub 2} device is a buried, shallow junction with a CdS window layer, rather than a heterojunction. We have used these ideas to develop methods for fabricating devices without CdS or Cd. A 14.2% efficiency ZnO/CIGS device was obtained through aqueous treatment in Zn solutions

CIGS Thin-Film Solar Cell Research at NREL: FY04 Results and Accomplishments

This short paper is a summary of our investigations in three major areas: high-efficiency CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cells, junctions made using chemical bath deposited ZnS(O,OH) buffer layers, and solar cells fabricated from thinner absorbers. Significant progress was made in all areas. We describe how our research has contributed to the fundamental understanding and the practical application of CIGS materials to high performance solar cells