Tuning the optoelectronic properties of AZO thin films for silicon thin film solar cell applications

Author(s):  
Nafis Ahmed ◽  
Arokiyadoss Rayerfrancis ◽  
P. Balaji Bhargav ◽  
Balaji C ◽  
P. Ramasamy

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films are deposited using dc magnetron sputtering and the process conditions are optimized to obtain TCE with desirable properties suitable for photovoltaic applications. In the course, the effects of deposition parameters such as growth temperature, deposition time and plasma power density on the structural and optoelectronic properties were investigated using suitable characterization techniques. XRD analysis of the deposited films at different process conditions showed a strong c-axis preferred orientation. The surface roughness of the deposited films was examined using AFM analysis. Elemental analysis was carried out using XPS. The resistivity and sheet resistance of the thin films decreased with increase in temperature, deposition time and power density. The optimized films deposited at 250°C resulted in electrical resistivity of 6.23 x10-4 Ωcm, sheet resistance of 9.2 Ω/□ and exhibited an optical transmittance of >85% in the visible range. FOM calculations were carried out to analyze the suitability of deposited thinfilms for thin film amorphous silicon solar cell applications. The photo gain of optimized intrinsic a-Si:H layer was in the range of 104, whereas no photo gain was observed in doped a-Si:H layers. The thin film solar cell fabricated using the optimized AZO film as TCE exhibited power conversion efficiency of 6.24% when measured at AM 1.5 condition.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Aamir Shafi ◽  
Amal Bouich ◽  
Laiq Khan ◽  
Hanif Ullah ◽  
Julia Mari Guaita ◽  
...  

Abstract Electrochemical deposition was used to create a quaternary CZTS (Cu2ZnSnS4) kesterite thin layer. An aqueous solution of CZTS was used to deposit a thin layer over Indium Tin Oxide. The effects of deposition time (variation) on CZTS thin films under ambient conditions were investigated in this study. Several available characterization systems were used to study the samples as they were produced. The polycrystalline description of the layer is inveterate by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SEM as well as AFM study show that deposition time improved surface morphology and topography of CZTS thin films which increase several nm in grain size. Furthermore, depending upon the deposition duration, the optical study reveals an acceptable bandgap in a range of 1.44 to 1.71 eV. Characteristics of high-quality CZTS absorber layers for solar cell applications are discovered to be affected by deposition time variation. To check the effect of this bandgap variation (1.44 to 1.71 eV) on the performance of a CZTS based thin film solar cell, a simulation software SCAPS-1D is being used.


2017 ◽  
Vol 621 ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puvaneswaran Chelvanathan ◽  
Kazi S. Rahman ◽  
Mohammad I. Hossain ◽  
Haroon Rashid ◽  
Norazlynda Samsudin ◽  
...  

Solar Energy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 173 ◽  
pp. 120-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ameen M. Ali ◽  
Yulisa Yusoff ◽  
Lamya M. Ali ◽  
Halina Misran ◽  
Md. Akhtaruzzaman ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (38) ◽  
pp. 19263-19267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dandan Zhao ◽  
Qingwen Tian ◽  
Zhengji Zhou ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
Yuena Meng ◽  
...  

A novel, robust and low-toxicity solution route to deposit CIGSe thin films for solar cell applications is proposed. The solvent of 1,2-ethanedithiol and 1,2-ethylenediamine is employed for the first time to simultaneously dissolve elemental Cu, In, Ga, and Se. With this solution-processed CIGSe thin film solar cell, an efficiency of 9.5% was achieved.


RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (44) ◽  
pp. 37621-37627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhruba B. Khadka ◽  
SeongYeon Kim ◽  
JunHo Kim

We report a promising fabrication approach for the synthesis of Ge-alloyed Cu2Zn(GexSn1−x)Se4 (CZGTSe) thin films using molecular precursors by spray pyrolysis to obtain band gap tuned kesterite solar cells.


2001 ◽  
Vol 65 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironori Katagiri ◽  
Kotoe Saitoh ◽  
Tsukasa Washio ◽  
Hiroyuki Shinohara ◽  
Tomomi Kurumadani ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
A. K. Esman ◽  
V. K. Kuleshov ◽  
V. A. Potachits ◽  
G. L. Zykov

CuInSe2 thin-film solar cells are promising materials for photovoltaic devices. One of the main tasks of researchers is to find ways to increase the solar cells efficiency. In this paper we propose an original structure of a thin-film solar cell based on a tandem connection of a photoelectric converter and a thermoelectric layer based on CuInSe2. The photoelectric converter consists of CuInSe2 and CdS layers. A 3D model of the proposed thin-film solar cell was implemented in the COMSOL Multiphysics environment with using the Heat Transfer module. The simulation was carried out taking into account the diurnal and seasonal variations of both the ambient temperature and the power density of the AM1.5 solar spectrum for the geographical coordinates of Minsk. The solar radiation power density of about 500 kW/m2 can be achieved by using concentrators. The temperature pattern and temperature gradients are calculated in each layer of the solar cell without and with the temperature stabilization of the substrate back side as well as without and with the thermal insulation of the substrate ends. Graphs of the temperature gradients of the thermoelectric layer and the temperature variations of the photoelectric converter of the solar cell are given. As a result of the simulation, it is shown how the uneven heating of both the surface of a thin-film solar cell and its layers occur under conditions of diurnal and seasonal variations of both the ambient temperature and the solar radiation power density. Under concentrated solar radiation exposure, the photoelectric converter surface can be heated up to 700 °C without temperature stabilization of the solar cell substrate. The operating temperature of the photoelectric converter was maintained at no more than 2.35 °C in January and at no more than 14.23 °C in July due to the temperature stabilization of the substrate back side of the proposed device. This made it possible to achieve an increase in the output power of the solar cell both by summing the photoand thermoelectric output voltages and by the concentration of solar radiation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 02012-1-02012-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya S. Suryavanshi ◽  
◽  
C. J. Panchal ◽  

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