Abstract
We used time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) spectroscopy to analyze time-domain and spectral-domain charge-carrier dynamics in CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) devices. This new approach allowed detailed characterization for the CIGS/CdS buffer interface and for the space-charge region. We find that dynamics at the interface is dominated by diffusion, where the diffusion rate is several times greater than the thermionic emission or interface recombination rate. In the space-charge region, the electric field of the pn junction has the largest effect on the carrier dynamics. Based on the minority-carrier (electron) drift-rate dependence on the electric field strength, we estimated drift mobility in compensated CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (with x ≈ 0.3) as 22 ± 2 cm2(Vs)-1. Analysis developed in this study could be applied to evaluate interface and junction properties of PV and other electronic devices. For CIGS PV devices, TRPL spectroscopy could contribute to understanding effects due to absorber compositional grading, which is one of the focus areas in developing record-efficiency CIGS solar cells.
Original language | American English |
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Article number | Article No. 185102 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Applied Physics |
Volume | 117 |
Issue number | 18 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 14 May 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.
NREL Publication Number
- NREL/JA-5J00-63845
Keywords
- CIGS
- photoluminescence
- photovoltaics (PV)
- recombination
- thin films