Recombination Kinetics and Stability in Polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells

W. K. Metzger, I. L. Repins, M. Romero, P. Dippo, M. Contreras, R. Noufi, D. Levi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

167 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements indicate that bare Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films degrade when they are exposed to air or stored in nitrogen-purged dry boxes. The degradation significantly affects device performance and electro-optical measurements. Measuring films prior to degradation reveals long lifetimes and distinct recombination properties. For high-quality material, the surface recombination velocity at grain boundaries, bare CIGS surfaces, and CIGS/CdS interfaces is less than 103 cm/s, and lifetime values are often greater than 50 ns. In high injection, CIGS has recombination properties similar to GaAs. On completed devices, charge-separation dynamics can be characterized.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)2360-2364
Number of pages5
JournalThin Solid Films
Volume517
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/JA-520-43359

Keywords

  • Copper indium gallium diselenide
  • Device model
  • Grain boundary
  • Lifetime
  • Luminescence
  • Solar cell

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