Charge Carrier Dynamics and Recombination in Graded Band Gap CuIn1-xGaxSe2 Polycrystalline Thin-Film Photovoltaic Solar Cell Absorbers

Darius Kuciauskas, Jian V. Li, Miguel A. Contreras, Joel Pankow, Patricia Dippo, Matthew Young, Lorelle M. Mansfield, Rommel Noufi, Dean Levi

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36 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We report the results of spectroscopic time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) analysis for polycrystalline CuIn1-xGaxSe 2 (CIGS) films. On the <5 ns time scale, we investigated minority carrier spatial redistribution from the initial absorption profile near the surface of the films to the conduction band minimum. Based on these data, the estimated minority carrier mobility is 75-230 cm2V-1 s-1. Full TRPL decays were analyzed using models for donor-acceptor pair (DAP) recombination. We estimated that the concentration of DAP recombination centers was 5 × 1015-1017 cm -3. Data also show that Shockley-Reed-Hall and surface recombination are not significant for polycrystalline CIGS absorbers used in high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells.

Original languageAmerican English
Article number154505
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Applied Physics
Volume114
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 Oct 2013

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-5200-59036

Keywords

  • photovoltaic
  • polycrystalline
  • PV
  • solar
  • solar cell
  • thin-film

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