Electrical Conduction Channel Along the Grain Boundaries of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films

C. S. Jiang; I. L. Repins; L. M. Mansfield; M. A. Contreras; H. R. Moutinho; K. Ramanathan; R. Noufi; M. M. Al-Jassim

doi:10.1063/1.4812827

Electrical Conduction Channel Along the Grain Boundaries of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films

C. S. Jiang, I. L. Repins, L. M. Mansfield, M. A. Contreras, H. R. Moutinho, K. Ramanathan, R. Noufi, M. M. Al-Jassim

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We report on a direct nm-resolution resistance mapping on the Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ photovoltaic thin films, using scanning spreading resistance microcopy. We found a conductance channel along the grain boundaries (GBs) of the polycrystalline materials, which is consistent with the argument that carrier polarity of the GB and the space charge region around it is inverted. To minimize the probe/film contact resistance, so that the local spreading resistance beneath the probe is measured, the probe must be adequately indented to the film and a bias voltage larger than the onset value of the probe/film barrier should be applied.

Original language	American English
Article number	Article No. 253905
Number of pages	5
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	102
Issue number	25
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4812827 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4812827
State	Published - 24 Jun 2013

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NREL/JA-5200-58991

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title = "Electrical Conduction Channel Along the Grain Boundaries of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films",

abstract = "We report on a direct nm-resolution resistance mapping on the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 photovoltaic thin films, using scanning spreading resistance microcopy. We found a conductance channel along the grain boundaries (GBs) of the polycrystalline materials, which is consistent with the argument that carrier polarity of the GB and the space charge region around it is inverted. To minimize the probe/film contact resistance, so that the local spreading resistance beneath the probe is measured, the probe must be adequately indented to the film and a bias voltage larger than the onset value of the probe/film barrier should be applied.",

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AU - Jiang, C. S.

AU - Repins, I. L.

AU - Mansfield, L. M.

AU - Contreras, M. A.

AU - Moutinho, H. R.

AU - Ramanathan, K.

AU - Noufi, R.

AU - Al-Jassim, M. M.

PY - 2013/6/24

Y1 - 2013/6/24

N2 - We report on a direct nm-resolution resistance mapping on the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 photovoltaic thin films, using scanning spreading resistance microcopy. We found a conductance channel along the grain boundaries (GBs) of the polycrystalline materials, which is consistent with the argument that carrier polarity of the GB and the space charge region around it is inverted. To minimize the probe/film contact resistance, so that the local spreading resistance beneath the probe is measured, the probe must be adequately indented to the film and a bias voltage larger than the onset value of the probe/film barrier should be applied.

AB - We report on a direct nm-resolution resistance mapping on the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 photovoltaic thin films, using scanning spreading resistance microcopy. We found a conductance channel along the grain boundaries (GBs) of the polycrystalline materials, which is consistent with the argument that carrier polarity of the GB and the space charge region around it is inverted. To minimize the probe/film contact resistance, so that the local spreading resistance beneath the probe is measured, the probe must be adequately indented to the film and a bias voltage larger than the onset value of the probe/film barrier should be applied.

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M3 - Article

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SN - 0003-6951

VL - 102

JO - Applied Physics Letters

JF - Applied Physics Letters

IS - 25

M1 - Article No. 253905

ER -

Electrical Conduction Channel Along the Grain Boundaries of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films

Abstract

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