Solar cells CIGS -based

Schock, H. W. Noufi, R. 2000. CIGS-based solar cells for the next Millennium. Prog. Photovolt. Res. Appl. 8 151-160. 

Larina, L. Kim, K. H Yoon, K. H Konagai, M. Ahn, B. T. 2003. Thin film CIGS-based solar cells with an In-based buffer layer fabricated by chemical bath deposition. Edited by Kurokawa, K. Kazmerski, L. L. McNelis, B. Yamaguchi, M. Wronski, C. Sinke, W. C. Proceedings of 3rd World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37497), Vol. 1. pp. 531-534. 

The deposition of CBD CdS as a junction layer for solar cell devices has proven to be a very successful industrially acceptable technique. Kessler et al.13 reported on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) mini-modules (area = 16cm2) with a conversion efficiency of 16.6%, wherein CBD CdS was used as a junction layer. Basol et al.14 fabricated 9.3% active-area efficient thin-film flexible CuInSe2 (CIS) solar cells (specific power >1 kW/kg) on lightweight, flexible metallic, and polymeric (polymide-based) substrates using CBD CdS. 

Thin-film solar cell devices based on CIGS have already demonstrated an efficiency of 19.52%.40 The direct energy gap of CIGS results in a large optical absorption coefficient, which, in turn, permits the use of thin (-1 pm) layers of active material. CIGS solar cells are also known for their long-term stability.76... 

The ED and EL deposition processes are simple and fast, and they can synthesize binary or multinary precursors for subsequent processing into high-quality CIGS thin-film absorbers for solar cells. The device fabricated using ED precursor layers resulted in efficiencies as high as 15.4%. The quality of CIGS-based films and devices prepared from ED precursors is very promising. This may lead to novel, fast, and low-cost methods for solar-cell absorber fabrication. 

Abstract Photovoltaic cells have been dominated so far by solid state p-n junction devices made from silicon or gallium arsenide wavers or thin film embodiments based on amorphous silicon, CdTe and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) profiting from the experience and material availability of the semiconductor industry. Recently there has been a surge of interest for devices that are based on nanoscale inorganic or organic semiconductors commonly referred to as bulk junctions due to their interconnected three-dimensional structure. The present chapter describes the state of the art of the academic and industrial development of nanostructured solar cells, with emphasis in the development of the dye-sensitized nanocristalline solar cell. 

ZnO, and Zn(OH)2) for the CBD process [261]. Optimal film compositions must be identified before large-scale preparation of these films for solar cell applications because CBD of ZnS is more complex and difficult than that of CdS [262]. Although significant efforts have been undertaken to make CIGS-based cells free ofCd, until now, such cells usually have lower efficiency and less reproducible behavior than their Cd-containing counterparts. The continued investigation of the deposition conditions leading to superior film properties for the CBD of ZnS in basic aqueous ammonia solutions would be worthwhile. 

Variety of semiconducting material such as single and poly crystal silicon, amorphous silicon, Cadmium-Telluride (CdTe), Copper Indium/Gal-lium Di Selenide (CIGS) have been employed to form inorganic solar cell based on layers configuration to enhance absorption efficiency, conversion efficiency, production and maintenance cost. 

A champion CIGS-based thin film solar cell was prepared and characterised at NREL by Repins et al A record efficiency of 19.9% was measured for a 0.41 cm device in which, during the latter stages of vacuum deposition (100 A), the chalcopyrite was deposited without gallium, improving the quality of the material near the surface by reducing the number of surface defect states. An improved (5.5 ns) charge carrier lifetime was measured and a maximum carrier density of 2 x 10 cm was measured. 

Most of the flexible recharging devices existing on the market are equipped with CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) PV cells based on amorphous sUicon (FlexceU, PowerFilm Solar ). 

---