Investigation of Micro-Electrical Properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films Using Scanning Probe Microscopy

Chun Sheng Jiang; Ingrid Repins; Helio Moutinho; Kannan Ramanathan; Mowafak Al-Jassim; Carolyn Beall

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046

Investigation of Micro-Electrical Properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films Using Scanning Probe Microscopy

Chun Sheng Jiang, Ingrid Repins, Helio Moutinho, Kannan Ramanathan, Mowafak Al-Jassim, Carolyn Beall

Materials Science

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

25 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We report on a local potential and resistance mapping of Cu₂ZnSnSe₄ (CZTSe) films using nm-resolution electrical scanning probe microscopies of scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and scanning spreading resistance microscopy. We have conducted a comparative study with high-performance Cu₂(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGSe) film. Both CZTSe and CIGSe were deposited by co-evaporation of elements in vacuum. The results show that the microelectrical properties of the two polycrystalline materials are similar-higher potential and lower resistance on the grain boundaries (GBs) than on grain surfaces-suggesting inverted GB carrier polarity of these films. The consistent GB properties in contrast to the large difference in photovoltaic output of the two materials suggest that factors other than the GBs are responsible for the low photovoltaic output of CZTSe device.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	342-347
Number of pages	6
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	132
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046
State	Published - 2015

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier B.V.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5K00-62772

Keywords

CZTSe
Grain boundary
Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy
Scanning spreading resistance microscopy
Solar cell, thin film

Access to Document

Cite this

@article{a8c65d3e9ebe4073ad0bb1d92344d269,

title = "Investigation of Micro-Electrical Properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films Using Scanning Probe Microscopy",

abstract = "We report on a local potential and resistance mapping of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) films using nm-resolution electrical scanning probe microscopies of scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and scanning spreading resistance microscopy. We have conducted a comparative study with high-performance Cu2(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) film. Both CZTSe and CIGSe were deposited by co-evaporation of elements in vacuum. The results show that the microelectrical properties of the two polycrystalline materials are similar-higher potential and lower resistance on the grain boundaries (GBs) than on grain surfaces-suggesting inverted GB carrier polarity of these films. The consistent GB properties in contrast to the large difference in photovoltaic output of the two materials suggest that factors other than the GBs are responsible for the low photovoltaic output of CZTSe device.",

keywords = "CZTSe, Grain boundary, Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy, Scanning spreading resistance microscopy, Solar cell, thin film",

author = "Jiang, {Chun Sheng} and Ingrid Repins and Helio Moutinho and Kannan Ramanathan and Mowafak Al-Jassim and Carolyn Beall",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046",

language = "American English",

volume = "132",

pages = "342--347",

journal = "Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigation of Micro-Electrical Properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films Using Scanning Probe Microscopy

AU - Jiang, Chun Sheng

AU - Repins, Ingrid

AU - Moutinho, Helio

AU - Ramanathan, Kannan

AU - Al-Jassim, Mowafak

AU - Beall, Carolyn

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - We report on a local potential and resistance mapping of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) films using nm-resolution electrical scanning probe microscopies of scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and scanning spreading resistance microscopy. We have conducted a comparative study with high-performance Cu2(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) film. Both CZTSe and CIGSe were deposited by co-evaporation of elements in vacuum. The results show that the microelectrical properties of the two polycrystalline materials are similar-higher potential and lower resistance on the grain boundaries (GBs) than on grain surfaces-suggesting inverted GB carrier polarity of these films. The consistent GB properties in contrast to the large difference in photovoltaic output of the two materials suggest that factors other than the GBs are responsible for the low photovoltaic output of CZTSe device.

AB - We report on a local potential and resistance mapping of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) films using nm-resolution electrical scanning probe microscopies of scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy and scanning spreading resistance microscopy. We have conducted a comparative study with high-performance Cu2(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) film. Both CZTSe and CIGSe were deposited by co-evaporation of elements in vacuum. The results show that the microelectrical properties of the two polycrystalline materials are similar-higher potential and lower resistance on the grain boundaries (GBs) than on grain surfaces-suggesting inverted GB carrier polarity of these films. The consistent GB properties in contrast to the large difference in photovoltaic output of the two materials suggest that factors other than the GBs are responsible for the low photovoltaic output of CZTSe device.

KW - CZTSe

KW - Grain boundary

KW - Scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy

KW - Scanning spreading resistance microscopy

KW - Solar cell, thin film

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84907637728&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046

DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.08.046

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84907637728

SN - 0927-0248

VL - 132

SP - 342

EP - 347

JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

ER -

Investigation of Micro-Electrical Properties of Cu2ZnSnSe4 Thin Films Using Scanning Probe Microscopy

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this