Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber

F. J. Pern; B. Egaas; B. To; C. S. Jiang; Jian V. Li; S. Glynn; C. DeHart

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676

Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber

F. J. Pern, B. Egaas, B. To, C. S. Jiang, Jian V. Li, S. Glynn, C. DeHart

Materials Science

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

20 Scopus Citations

Abstract

The susceptibility of a thermally co-evaporated CulnGaSe₂ (CIGS) thin-film absorber to humidity and its consequence on composition, morphology, electrical and electronic properties, and device efficiency was investigated. CIGS films on Mo-coated soda lime glass were degraded either in the ambient at -21°C and -21% relative humidity (RH) for a period of several months or in damp heat (DH) at 85°C and 85% RH briefly for 15-30 min; then the films were processed simultaneously into devices in a batch that included an unexposed control. In addition to severe delamination on some samples of the absorber films, prolonged ambient exposure resulted in numerous "spot" formations that lost CIGS with scale-like disintegration rippling around the spots and showed a significant presence of Na. Exposure in DH for 5 h was able to reproduce the spot formations on the CIGS films. A significant to large decrease of cell efficiency was observed from 14%-16% for the unexposed control to 8%-11% for the CIGS absorber exposed in DH for 15 and 30 min and 1%-4%% for the ambient-degraded CIGS with high series resistance and very low shunt resistance.

Original language	American English
Pages	287-292
Number of pages	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676
State	Published - 2009
Event	2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009 - Philadelphia, PA, United States Duration: 7 Jun 2009 → 12 Jun 2009

Conference

Conference	2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009
Country/Territory	United States
City	Philadelphia, PA
Period	7/06/09 → 12/06/09

Bibliographical note

For preprint version, see NREL/CP-520-45895

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-520-44623

Keywords

solar cells
thin films

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title = "Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber",

abstract = "The susceptibility of a thermally co-evaporated CulnGaSe2 (CIGS) thin-film absorber to humidity and its consequence on composition, morphology, electrical and electronic properties, and device efficiency was investigated. CIGS films on Mo-coated soda lime glass were degraded either in the ambient at -21°C and -21% relative humidity (RH) for a period of several months or in damp heat (DH) at 85°C and 85% RH briefly for 15-30 min; then the films were processed simultaneously into devices in a batch that included an unexposed control. In addition to severe delamination on some samples of the absorber films, prolonged ambient exposure resulted in numerous {"}spot{"} formations that lost CIGS with scale-like disintegration rippling around the spots and showed a significant presence of Na. Exposure in DH for 5 h was able to reproduce the spot formations on the CIGS films. A significant to large decrease of cell efficiency was observed from 14%-16% for the unexposed control to 8%-11% for the CIGS absorber exposed in DH for 15 and 30 min and 1%-4%% for the ambient-degraded CIGS with high series resistance and very low shunt resistance.",

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author = "Pern, {F. J.} and B. Egaas and B. To and Jiang, {C. S.} and Li, {Jian V.} and S. Glynn and C. DeHart",

note = "For preprint version, see NREL/CP-520-45895; 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009 ; Conference date: 07-06-2009 Through 12-06-2009",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676",

language = "American English",

pages = "287--292",

}

Pern, FJ, Egaas, B, To, B, Jiang, CS, Li, JV, Glynn, S & DeHart, C 2009, 'Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber', Paper presented at 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 7/06/09 - 12/06/09 pp. 287-292. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676, https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411676

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AU - Pern, F. J.

AU - Egaas, B.

AU - To, B.

AU - Jiang, C. S.

AU - Li, Jian V.

AU - Glynn, S.

AU - DeHart, C.

N1 - For preprint version, see NREL/CP-520-45895

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N2 - The susceptibility of a thermally co-evaporated CulnGaSe2 (CIGS) thin-film absorber to humidity and its consequence on composition, morphology, electrical and electronic properties, and device efficiency was investigated. CIGS films on Mo-coated soda lime glass were degraded either in the ambient at -21°C and -21% relative humidity (RH) for a period of several months or in damp heat (DH) at 85°C and 85% RH briefly for 15-30 min; then the films were processed simultaneously into devices in a batch that included an unexposed control. In addition to severe delamination on some samples of the absorber films, prolonged ambient exposure resulted in numerous "spot" formations that lost CIGS with scale-like disintegration rippling around the spots and showed a significant presence of Na. Exposure in DH for 5 h was able to reproduce the spot formations on the CIGS films. A significant to large decrease of cell efficiency was observed from 14%-16% for the unexposed control to 8%-11% for the CIGS absorber exposed in DH for 15 and 30 min and 1%-4%% for the ambient-degraded CIGS with high series resistance and very low shunt resistance.

AB - The susceptibility of a thermally co-evaporated CulnGaSe2 (CIGS) thin-film absorber to humidity and its consequence on composition, morphology, electrical and electronic properties, and device efficiency was investigated. CIGS films on Mo-coated soda lime glass were degraded either in the ambient at -21°C and -21% relative humidity (RH) for a period of several months or in damp heat (DH) at 85°C and 85% RH briefly for 15-30 min; then the films were processed simultaneously into devices in a batch that included an unexposed control. In addition to severe delamination on some samples of the absorber films, prolonged ambient exposure resulted in numerous "spot" formations that lost CIGS with scale-like disintegration rippling around the spots and showed a significant presence of Na. Exposure in DH for 5 h was able to reproduce the spot formations on the CIGS films. A significant to large decrease of cell efficiency was observed from 14%-16% for the unexposed control to 8%-11% for the CIGS absorber exposed in DH for 15 and 30 min and 1%-4%% for the ambient-degraded CIGS with high series resistance and very low shunt resistance.

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KW - thin films

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T2 - 2009 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2009

Y2 - 7 June 2009 through 12 June 2009

ER -

Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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