Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells

Fabien Tsin; Amélie Vénérosy; Thibaud Hildebrandt; Dimitrios Hariskos; Negar Naghavi; Daniel Lincot; Jean Rousset

doi:10.1117/12.2209327

Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells

Fabien Tsin
, Amélie Vénérosy
, Thibaud Hildebrandt
, Dimitrios Hariskos
, Negar Naghavi
, Daniel Lincot
, Jean Rousset

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

The Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology has made a steady progress within the last decade reaching efficiency up to 22.3% on laboratory scale, thus overpassing the highest efficiency for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. High efficiency CIGS modules employ a so-called buffer layer of cadmium sulfide CdS deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD), which presence and Cd-containing waste present some environmental concerns. A second potential bottleneck for CIGS technology is its window layer made of i-ZnO/ZnO:Al, which is deposited by sputtering requiring expensive vacuum equipment. A non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) relying on simpler equipment with lower investment costs will be more economically attractive, and could increase competitiveness of CIGS-based modules with the mainstream silicon-based technologies. In the frame of Novazolar project, we have developed a low-cost aqueous solution photo assisted electrodeposition process of the ZnO-based window layer for high efficiency CIGS-based solar cells. The window layer deposition have been first optimized on classical CdS buffer layer leading to cells with efficiencies similar to those measured with the sputtered references on the same absorber (15%). The the optimized ZnO doped layer has been adapted to cadmium free devices where the CdS is replaced by chemical bath deposited zinc oxysulfide Zn(S,O) buffer layer. The effect of different growth parameters has been studied on CBD-Zn(S,O)-plated co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ substrates provided by the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW). This optimization of the electrodeposition of ZnO:Cl on CIGS/Zn(S,O) stacks led to record efficiency of 14%, while the reference cell with a sputtered (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al window layer has an efficiency of 15.2%.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII
Editors	David C. Look, Ferechteh H. Teherani, David J. Rogers
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781628419849
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2209327
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2016
Event	Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII - San Francisco, United States Duration: 14 Feb 2016 → 17 Feb 2016

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	9749
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco
Period	14/02/16 → 17/02/16

Keywords

CIGS
Cd-free
buffer layer
electrodeposition
solar cell
window layer
zinc oxide
zinc oxisulfide

Access to Document

10.1117/12.2209327

Cite this

Tsin, F., Vénérosy, A., Hildebrandt, T., Hariskos, D., Naghavi, N., Lincot, D., & Rousset, J. (2016). Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells. In D. C. Look, F. H. Teherani, & D. J. Rogers (Eds.), Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII Article 97491H (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 9749). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2209327

@inproceedings{990dbebf5aa54bcba242a52aa8ecbabb,

title = "Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells",

abstract = "The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology has made a steady progress within the last decade reaching efficiency up to 22.3\% on laboratory scale, thus overpassing the highest efficiency for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. High efficiency CIGS modules employ a so-called buffer layer of cadmium sulfide CdS deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD), which presence and Cd-containing waste present some environmental concerns. A second potential bottleneck for CIGS technology is its window layer made of i-ZnO/ZnO:Al, which is deposited by sputtering requiring expensive vacuum equipment. A non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) relying on simpler equipment with lower investment costs will be more economically attractive, and could increase competitiveness of CIGS-based modules with the mainstream silicon-based technologies. In the frame of Novazolar project, we have developed a low-cost aqueous solution photo assisted electrodeposition process of the ZnO-based window layer for high efficiency CIGS-based solar cells. The window layer deposition have been first optimized on classical CdS buffer layer leading to cells with efficiencies similar to those measured with the sputtered references on the same absorber (15\%). The the optimized ZnO doped layer has been adapted to cadmium free devices where the CdS is replaced by chemical bath deposited zinc oxysulfide Zn(S,O) buffer layer. The effect of different growth parameters has been studied on CBD-Zn(S,O)-plated co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 substrates provided by the Zentrum f{\"u}r Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW). This optimization of the electrodeposition of ZnO:Cl on CIGS/Zn(S,O) stacks led to record efficiency of 14\%, while the reference cell with a sputtered (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al window layer has an efficiency of 15.2\%.",

keywords = "CIGS, Cd-free, buffer layer, electrodeposition, solar cell, window layer, zinc oxide, zinc oxisulfide",

author = "Fabien Tsin and Am{\'e}lie V{\'e}n{\'e}rosy and Thibaud Hildebrandt and Dimitrios Hariskos and Negar Naghavi and Daniel Lincot and Jean Rousset",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 SPIE.; Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII ; Conference date: 14-02-2016 Through 17-02-2016",

year = "2016",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1117/12.2209327",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

publisher = "SPIE",

editor = "Look, \{David C.\} and Teherani, \{Ferechteh H.\} and Rogers, \{David J.\}",

booktitle = "Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII",

}

Tsin, F, Vénérosy, A, Hildebrandt, T, Hariskos, D, Naghavi, N, Lincot, D & Rousset, J 2016, Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells. in DC Look, FH Teherani & DJ Rogers (eds), Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII., 97491H, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 9749, SPIE, Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII, San Francisco, United States, 14/02/16. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2209327

Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells. / Tsin, Fabien; Vénérosy, Amélie; Hildebrandt, Thibaud et al.
Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII. ed. / David C. Look; Ferechteh H. Teherani; David J. Rogers. SPIE, 2016. 97491H (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 9749).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells

AU - Tsin, Fabien

AU - Vénérosy, Amélie

AU - Hildebrandt, Thibaud

AU - Hariskos, Dimitrios

AU - Naghavi, Negar

AU - Lincot, Daniel

AU - Rousset, Jean

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology has made a steady progress within the last decade reaching efficiency up to 22.3% on laboratory scale, thus overpassing the highest efficiency for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. High efficiency CIGS modules employ a so-called buffer layer of cadmium sulfide CdS deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD), which presence and Cd-containing waste present some environmental concerns. A second potential bottleneck for CIGS technology is its window layer made of i-ZnO/ZnO:Al, which is deposited by sputtering requiring expensive vacuum equipment. A non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) relying on simpler equipment with lower investment costs will be more economically attractive, and could increase competitiveness of CIGS-based modules with the mainstream silicon-based technologies. In the frame of Novazolar project, we have developed a low-cost aqueous solution photo assisted electrodeposition process of the ZnO-based window layer for high efficiency CIGS-based solar cells. The window layer deposition have been first optimized on classical CdS buffer layer leading to cells with efficiencies similar to those measured with the sputtered references on the same absorber (15%). The the optimized ZnO doped layer has been adapted to cadmium free devices where the CdS is replaced by chemical bath deposited zinc oxysulfide Zn(S,O) buffer layer. The effect of different growth parameters has been studied on CBD-Zn(S,O)-plated co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 substrates provided by the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW). This optimization of the electrodeposition of ZnO:Cl on CIGS/Zn(S,O) stacks led to record efficiency of 14%, while the reference cell with a sputtered (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al window layer has an efficiency of 15.2%.

AB - The Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology has made a steady progress within the last decade reaching efficiency up to 22.3% on laboratory scale, thus overpassing the highest efficiency for polycrystalline silicon solar cells. High efficiency CIGS modules employ a so-called buffer layer of cadmium sulfide CdS deposited by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD), which presence and Cd-containing waste present some environmental concerns. A second potential bottleneck for CIGS technology is its window layer made of i-ZnO/ZnO:Al, which is deposited by sputtering requiring expensive vacuum equipment. A non-vacuum deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) relying on simpler equipment with lower investment costs will be more economically attractive, and could increase competitiveness of CIGS-based modules with the mainstream silicon-based technologies. In the frame of Novazolar project, we have developed a low-cost aqueous solution photo assisted electrodeposition process of the ZnO-based window layer for high efficiency CIGS-based solar cells. The window layer deposition have been first optimized on classical CdS buffer layer leading to cells with efficiencies similar to those measured with the sputtered references on the same absorber (15%). The the optimized ZnO doped layer has been adapted to cadmium free devices where the CdS is replaced by chemical bath deposited zinc oxysulfide Zn(S,O) buffer layer. The effect of different growth parameters has been studied on CBD-Zn(S,O)-plated co-evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 substrates provided by the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW). This optimization of the electrodeposition of ZnO:Cl on CIGS/Zn(S,O) stacks led to record efficiency of 14%, while the reference cell with a sputtered (Zn,Mg)O/ZnO:Al window layer has an efficiency of 15.2%.

KW - CIGS

KW - Cd-free

KW - buffer layer

KW - electrodeposition

KW - solar cell

KW - window layer

KW - zinc oxide

KW - zinc oxisulfide

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84981336756

U2 - 10.1117/12.2209327

DO - 10.1117/12.2209327

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84981336756

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII

A2 - Look, David C.

A2 - Teherani, Ferechteh H.

A2 - Rogers, David J.

PB - SPIE

T2 - Oxide-Based Materials and Devices VII

Y2 - 14 February 2016 through 17 February 2016

ER -

Electrodeposition of ZnO-doped films as window layer for Cd-free CIGS-based solar cells

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this