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Microscopic origins of performance losses in highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells

Author

Listed:
  • Maximilian Krause

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

  • Aleksandra Nikolaeva

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

  • Matthias Maiberg

    (Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

  • Philip Jackson

    (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW))

  • Dimitrios Hariskos

    (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW))

  • Wolfram Witte

    (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW))

  • José A. Márquez

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

  • Sergej Levcenko

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

  • Thomas Unold

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

  • Roland Scheer

    (Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)

  • Daniel Abou-Ras

    (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin)

Abstract

Thin-film solar cells based on polycrystalline absorbers have reached very high conversion efficiencies of up to 23-25%. In order to elucidate the limiting factors that need to be overcome for even higher efficiency levels, it is essential to investigate microscopic origins of loss mechanisms in these devices. In the present work, a high efficiency (21% without anti-reflection coating) copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGSe) solar cell is characterized by means of a correlative microscopy approach and corroborated by means of photoluminescence spectroscopy. The values obtained by the experimental characterization are used as input parameters for two-dimensional device simulations, for which a real microstructure was used. It can be shown that electrostatic potential and lifetime fluctuations exhibit no substantial impact on the device performance. In contrast, nonradiative recombination at random grain boundaries can be identified as a significant loss mechanism for CIGSe solar cells, even for devices at a very high performance level.

Suggested Citation

  • Maximilian Krause & Aleksandra Nikolaeva & Matthias Maiberg & Philip Jackson & Dimitrios Hariskos & Wolfram Witte & José A. Márquez & Sergej Levcenko & Thomas Unold & Roland Scheer & Daniel Abou-Ras, 2020. "Microscopic origins of performance losses in highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-17507-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17507-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Jan Keller & Klara Kiselman & Olivier Donzel-Gargand & Natalia M. Martin & Melike Babucci & Olle Lundberg & Erik Wallin & Lars Stolt & Marika Edoff, 2024. "High-concentration silver alloying and steep back-contact gallium grading enabling copper indium gallium selenide solar cell with 23.6% efficiency," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(4), pages 467-478, April.
    2. Jianjun Li & Jialiang Huang & Fajun Ma & Heng Sun & Jialin Cong & Karen Privat & Richard F. Webster & Soshan Cheong & Yin Yao & Robert Lee Chin & Xiaojie Yuan & Mingrui He & Kaiwen Sun & Hui Li & Yaoh, 2022. "Unveiling microscopic carrier loss mechanisms in 12% efficient Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cells," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 754-764, August.

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