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Variable Light Soaking Effect of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells with Conduction Band Offset Control of Window/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Layers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Takashi Minemoto
Affiliation:
[email protected], Ritsumeikan University, Photonics, 1-1- Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan, +81-77-561-3065, +81-77-561-3065
Yasuhiro Hashimoto
Affiliation:
[email protected], Matsushita Electric Ind. Co., Ltd., 3-4 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 612-0237, Japan
Takuya Satoh
Affiliation:
[email protected], Matsushita Electric Ind. Co., Ltd., 3-4 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 612-0237, Japan
Takayuki Negami
Affiliation:
[email protected], Matsushita Electric Ind. Co., Ltd., 3-4 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto, 612-0237, Japan
Hideyuki Takakura
Affiliation:
[email protected], Ritsumeikan University, Photonics, 1-1-1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga, 525-8577, Japan
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Abstract

The impact of the conduction band offset (CBO) between window/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) layers on the light soaking (LS) effect in CIGS solar cells has been studied with continuous CBO control using a (Zn,Mg)O (ZMO) window layer. Two types of CIGS solar cells with different window/buffer/absorber layers configurations were fabricated, i.e., ZMO/CIGS (without buffer layer) and ZMO/CdS/CIGS structures. The CBO values between ZMO and CIGS layers were controlled to -0.15~0.25 eV. Plus and minus signs of CBO indicate the conduction band minimums of ZMO above and below that of CIGS, respectively. Current-voltage (J-V) characteristics of the solar cells with different LS durations revealed that a positive CBO value higher than 0.16 eV induces J-V curve distortion, i.e., LS effect, and all the J-V characteristics stabilized in 30 min. The degrees of the LS effect were dominated by the CBO value between ZMO and CIGS layers in the both structure regardless of the existence of CdS buffer layers. These results indicate that the LS effect is dominated by the highest barrier for photo-generated electrons in the conduction band diagram, i.e., the CBO between ZMO and CIGS layers, and quantitatively the LS effect emerges the CBO value higher than 0.16 eV.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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