Title :
Investigation of the microstructure of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films used in high-efficiency devices
Author :
Noufi, Rommel ; Yan, Yanfa ; Abu-Shama, Jehad ; Jones, Kim ; Al-Jassim, Mowafak ; Keyes, Brian ; Alleman, Jeff ; Ramanathan, Kannan
Author_Institution :
Nat. Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO, USA
Abstract :
We examined the microstructure of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films, as it transitioned from Cu-rich to In-rich composition, by transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We find that the Cu-rich samples have larger grains than the In-rich samples, and they contain two structurally different forms of the CuxSe secondary phase. These samples also show sub-interfaces about 0.2 μm below the surface. The In-rich samples were almost void of these sub-interfaces.
Keywords :
X-ray chemical analysis; copper compounds; gallium compounds; grain size; indium compounds; phase separation; semiconductor thin films; ternary semiconductors; transmission electron microscopy; 0.2 micron; CIGS films; Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films; Cu(InGa)Se2; energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy; grain size; high-efficiency devices; microstructure; secondary phase; sub-interfaces; transmission electron microscopy; Laboratories; Lattices; Microstructure; Physics; Renewable energy resources; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectroscopy; Thin film devices; Transmission electron microscopy; Zinc oxide;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002. Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7471-1
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190613
