Jun-Hyoung Sim

A band-gap-graded CZTSSe solar cell with 12.3% efficiency

Although Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) has attracted attention as an alternative to CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) as an absorber material in solar cells, its low efficiency is a serious shortcoming preventing its commercialization. To realize a high-efficiency CZTSSe solar cell, improved grain crystallinity, inhibited secondary-phase formation, controlled defect generation, adequate Na content, and band gap grading are required in the absorber layer. Few studies have focused specifically on band gap grading. In this study, a method of using SeS2, a new potential chalcogenization source material, to control the S and Se contents in a CZTSSe absorber and its effects were investigated. Using an appropriate SeS2/Se weight ratio, band gap grading was realized within the depletion region. By increasing the value of VOC through band gap grading in the depletion region, a record VOC deficit of 0.576 V was achieved. Furthermore, the possibility of enhancing JSC through the formation of a type-inverted n-type phase at the absorber surface in response to an appropriate alignment of the conduction-band minimum energy level and the Fermi energy pinning level is discussed. By introducing the chalcogenization source material SeS2 during the annealing process, CZTSSe solar cells with a maximum efficiency of 12.3% were obtained.

Effects of Mo back-contact annealing on surface potential and carrier transport in Cu2ZnSnS4 thin film solar cells

The effects of Na on Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)-based solar cells have been examined with respect to surface potential and carrier transport. The Mo back-contact was annealed in a furnace for 10 minutes under a nitrogen atmosphere at different temperatures and CZTS thin films were subsequently grown by sputtering and sulfurization. The thickness of MoS2, formed during the sulfurization process, decreased as the Mo annealing temperature increased. Interestingly, the Na contents diffused from soda lime glass has increased as well. The current and surface potential near CZTS grain boundaries were investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) were used. Surface current increased with increasing annealing temperature and surface potential increased up to approximately 50 mV near GBs, which led to inhibition of electron–hole recombination and an increase in minority carrier collection near GBs. This observation explains the improvement of solar cell open circuit voltage (VOC) and current density (JSC).