Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells on stainless-steel substrates covered with ZnO diffusion barriers

ZnO layers were deposited as diffusion barriers by DC magnetron sputtering from a pure Zn target on stainless-steel substrates. It was found that the insertion layer of ZnO between Mo film and stainless-steel substrate had no influence on the orientation and composition of CIGS films, as identified by an X-ray diffractometer and X-ray fluorescence, respectively. However, ZnO diffusion barriers had strongly reduced the diffusion of Fe from stainless-steel substrates into the CIGS films, as investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry. With such diffusion barriers, the efficiency, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor of CIGS solar cells all increased.