Mechanochemically Synthesized CIGS Nanocrystalline Powder for Solar Cell Application

Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) is a compound semiconductor material from the group of I-III-VI. The material is a solid solution of copper, indium and selenium (CIS) and copper, gallium and selenium with an empirical formula of CuIn(1 – x)GaxSe2, where 0 x 1. CIGS has an exceptionally high absorption coefficient of more than 105 cm – 1 for 1.5 eV. Solar cells prepared from absorber layers of CIGS materials have shown an efficiency higher than 20 %. CuIn(1 – x)GaxSe2 (x 0.3) nanocrystalline compound was mechanochemically synthesized by high-energy milling in a planetary ball mill. The phase identification and crystallite size of milled powders at different time intervals were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD analysis indicates chalcopyrite structure and the crystallite size of about 10 nm of high-energy milled CIGS powder after two and half hours of milling. An attempt for preparing the thin film from CIGS nanocrystalline powder was carried out using the flash evaporation technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals uniform distribution of CIGS particles in thin film. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3100

Mechanochemically Synthesized CIGS Nanocrystalline Powder for Solar Cell Application

Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) is a compound semiconductor material from the group of I-III-VI. The material is a solid solution of copper, indium and selenium (CIS) and copper, gallium and selenium with an empirical formula of CuIn(1 – x)GaxSe2, where 0 x 1. CIGS has an exceptionally high absorption coefficient of more than 105 cm – 1 for 1.5 eV. Solar cells prepared from absorber layers of CIGS materials have shown an efficiency higher than 20 %. CuIn(1 – x)GaxSe2 (x 0.3) nanocrystalline compound was mechanochemically synthesized by high-energy milling in a planetary ball mill. The phase identification and crystallite size of milled powders at different time intervals were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD analysis indicates chalcopyrite structure and the crystallite size of about 10 nm of high-energy milled CIGS powder after two and half hours of milling. An attempt for preparing the thin film from CIGS nanocrystalline powder was carried out using the flash evaporation technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals uniform distribution of CIGS particles in thin film. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3100

STUDY OF PROPERTIES OF CU(IN,GA)SE2 THIN FILMS PREPARED FROM NANOCRYSTALLINE PARTICLES FOR PHOVOLTAIC APPLICATION

The solar energy is converted to electricity using photovoltaic cells or solar cell concentrators. Research and development is carried out in this area since long time. Countries like European Union, Japan and United States have achieved significant success in photovoltaic technology using crystalline silicon solar cells. Nanotechnology in solar cells provides an opportunity to produce new materials, with high efficiency, low cost and simple manufacturing process. Cu(InGa)Se2 (CIGS) material used for absorber layer of a solar cell is group I-III-VI compound semiconductor material composed of Cu, In, Ga and Se. These materials possess band gap value in the range of 1.0 eV to 1.7 eV. It has absorption coefficient of the order of 10-5cm-1 at 1.5 eV and higher energy photons. Solar cells prepared from absorber layers of CIGS materials have shown and efficiency higher than 20%. In this study we have synthsised Cu(In(1-x),Gax)Se2 nanocrystalline compound by high -energy ball milling. High-energy ball milling was carried out to prepare Cu(In(1-x),Gax)Se2 where x = 0.3 compound in a stoichiometric ratio of [1:0.7:0.3:2]. Milling was carried out in a planetary ball mill. Milled powder samples were collected at an interval of 30 minutes for X – Ray diffraction studies. X – Ray diffraction studies indicate chalcopyrite structure of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 compound. Cu(In,Ga)Se2 powder compound was deposited on a cleaned glass substrate to produce thin films of different thickness by flash evaporation technique. Scanning electron microscopy was done to study surface morphology of thin films. Absorption, transmission and band gap of thin films were obtained for optical characterization. Optical characterization shows that band gap increases with increase in film thickness. The resistivity of the thin films were measured by Vander Pauw technique. It was observed that resistivity ρ decreases with increase in film thickness. Thus, it is possible to synthesize CIGS compound by high-energy ball milling. The thin films prepared from CIGS compound using flash evaporation technique shows desirable optical properties which can be used as CIGS thin film absorber layer in solar cells