Article
Environmental Sciences
Sreekanth Mandati, Prashant Misra, Divya Boosagulla, Narasinga Rao Tata, Sarada V. Bulusu
Summary: CIGS absorbers prepared by direct current electrodeposition process are selenized in a tubular furnace at 550 degrees C in elemental selenium atmosphere using Ar as carrier gas, with the evacuation of tube prior to selenization affecting the formation of CIGS absorbers. Solar cells fabricated using vacuum-based selenization show improved performance compared to non-vacuum selenization, indicating potential for environmentally friendly low-cost solar cells.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Seon Hong Mun, Yuseong Jang, R. B. V. Chalapathy, Byung Tae Ahn, Jin Hyung Ahn, Jeong Woo Park, Kihwan Kim, Jae Ho Yun
Summary: By designing a precursor with a rich Se layer on top and a deficient Se layer on the bottom, it is possible to achieve a CIGS film with a non-zero Ga surface and the desired slope, leading to enhanced cell performance.
CURRENT APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bowen Liu, Xinan Shi, Wei Shao, Jiaxin Gao, Chenxi Zhao, Fuyan Chen, Dongdong Shen, Bingsuo Zou, Daocheng Pan
Summary: A novel and green ionic liquid-assisted ink is developed for the fabrication of highly efficient CIGSSe solar cells by inkjet printing. Compared to the conventional vacuum-based deposition and spin-coating solution methods, inkjet printing technology can remarkably improve the material utilization of copper indium gallium sulfur selenium (CIGS) and achieve a flat and continuous deposition of CIGS thin film. The inkjet-printed CIGSSe solar cells show an encouraging power conversion efficiency of 15.22%.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yu Kawano, Jakapan Chantana, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: By utilizing double-graded [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) (GGI) profiles and CuInSe2 phase separation technology, flexible CIGSe solar cells on stainless steel substrates have achieved enhanced photovoltaic performance.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alice Debot, Van Ben Chu, Damilola Adeleye, Jerome Guillot, Didier Arl, Michele Melchiorre, Phillip J. Dale
Summary: In this study, an environmentally friendly inkjet-printed indium sulfide (In2S3) buffer layer was developed using benign chemistry and processing conditions. A pre-synthesized indium-thiourea compound was dissolved in a mixture of water and ethanol, and then inkjet printed onto a Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) absorber. The resulting buffer layer showed good coverage on the surface of the absorber layer, leading to improved device performance.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
TaeHyun Hong, Hyun-Jun Jeong, Hyun-Mo Lee, Su-Hwan Choi, Jun Hyung Lim, Jin-Seong Park
Summary: By studying the precursors, control over the deposition of various compounds by ALD can be achieved, but different precursors can lead to variations in the chemical composition and electrical properties of the deposited materials.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qianqian Gao, Shengjie Yuan, Zhengji Zhou, Dongxing Kou, Wenhui Zhou, Yuena Meng, Yafang Qi, Litao Han, Sixin Wu
Summary: The incorporation of a Cu-rich CIGS layer at the bottom of the CIGS precursor film significantly improves crystallinity and reduces trap state density, leading to more efficient charge generation and transfer in solution-processed CIGS solar cells.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Van Ben Chu, Daniel Siopa, Alice Debot, Damilola Adeleye, Mohit Sood, Alberto Lomuscio, Michele Melchiorre, Jerome Guillot, Nathalie Valle, Brahime El Adib, Jonathan Rommelfangen, Phillip J. Dale
Summary: Chemical bath methods for growing thin film semiconductors produce a lot of waste solvent and chemicals. This study successfully replaced the toxic chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layer with a benign inkjet-printed and annealed Zn(O,S) layer, greatly reducing solvent and chemical usage. The wetting and final performance of the Zn(O,S) layer on CIGS can be controlled by various factors, with the best device efficiency reaching 13.5% through optimization.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jiayong Zhang, Bin Yao, Zhanhui Ding, Yongfeng Li, Ding Ma, Mengge Li, Yuting Sun, Chunkai Wang, Yue Liu, Xiaofei Sun
Summary: By tuning the ratio of copper ions in the precursor solution, the poor short-circuit current density caused by silver substitution in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells is effectively mitigated, leading to improved performance of the Ag-substituted CZTSSe solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qian Li, Jinpeng Hu, Yaru Cui, Juan Wang, Yu Hao, Tong Shen, Lizhen Duan
Summary: By synthesizing the copper-zinc-tin oxide (CZTO) precursor, fabricating CZTS thin film, and selenizing it, Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)(4) (CZTSSe) thin films with smooth surfaces and no pinholes were successfully obtained, with a conversion efficiency of 4.11%.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bing Li, Aimei Zhao, Dongmei Xiang, Zhuo Peng, Yujie Yuan, Yupeng Xing, Liyong Yao, Jinlian Bi, Wei Li
Summary: In this study, an Ag buffer layer was used to eliminate the nonuniform distribution of Cu on Mo, resulting in improved crystallinity and performance of ACIGSe absorber and solar cells.
Article
Physics, Applied
Ishwor Khatri, Mutsumi Sugiyama
Summary: This study explores the combined effect of cesium fluoride as a precursor and post-treatment on CIGS thin film solar cells, revealing improved device performance in terms of open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and cell efficiency. While the combined treatment reduces interfacial recombination by increasing Cs diffusion, it does not prevent the formation of bulk defects that lead to deterioration in device performance.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sunil Suresh, David J. Rokke, Amandine A. Drew, Essam Alruqobah, Rakesh Agrawal, Alexander R. Uhl
Summary: This article reviews the extrinsic doping concepts for CIGSSe-type absorbers fabricated by ink-based deposition routes, compares the performance of select high-efficiency ink-based devices, and offers an outlook for future process development. It suggests that the mechanisms of ink-based absorbers are fundamentally different from vacuum-based processes and require further investigation.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: This study investigates the structure and sample position effects on the performance of flexible, Cd-free, and all-dry process Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGSSe) solar cells on stainless steel substrates. The results show that the sample position plays a vital role in improving the cell performance, with a deviation from material targets leading to enhanced photovoltaic efficiency.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sunil Suresh, Alexander R. Uhl
Summary: Photovoltaic technologies provide a sustainable solution to increasing energy demands, with chalcopyrite thin-film solar cells exhibiting high efficiency but typically fabricated using vacuum deposition methods. Research is shifting towards solution processing techniques to improve material usage, increase throughput, and lower commercialization barriers, but performance of current devices falls short of vacuum-processed counterparts.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Naoto Hamada, Takahito Nishimura, Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Taizo Masuda, Takashi Minemoto
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Yoshinori Kimoto, Takuya Kato, Hiroki Sugimoto, Takashi Minemoto
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2020)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takhir Razykov, Fazal Raziq, Jiantuo Gan, Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Haoming Wei, Andriy Zakutayev, Takashi Minemoto, Xiaotao Zu, Sean Li, Liang Qiao
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Qing Shen, Kenji Yoshino, Satoshi Iikubo, Shuzi Hayase, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: Theoretical limits of photovoltaic performance in single-junction solar cells were studied, showing that increasing intrinsic density and Auger recombination coefficient can reduce conversion efficiency. It is suggested that improving the performance of perovskite solar cells may involve reducing the Auger recombination coefficient through band structure engineering and alloying with other halide perovskites. The impact of Shockley-Read-Hall recombination on the efficiency limit of perovskite solar cells was also discussed.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Takahito Nishimura, Jakapan Chantana, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Yu Kawano, Taizo Masuda, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: The article demonstrates theoretically the high efficiencies under front and rear illuminations for bifacial CIGSe solar cells. Adequate bandgap grading and improvement in CIGSe quality contribute to enhanced device performance under both front and rear illuminations, with the introduction of a rear surface layer additionally reducing carrier recombination and enhancing J(SC) in rear illumination.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: The study calculates the detailed balance limit for bifacial two-terminal tandem solar cells, revealing optimized bandgaps for matching photogenerated current densities of two subcells to maximize output power. Additionally, it is found that the current mismatching in monofacial solar cells can be solved by suitable (Front Irr + Back Irr)/Front Irr ratios.
Article
Physics, Applied
Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takahito Nishimura, Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: This study investigates the influence of Ohmic-contact behavior at the absorber/transparent back-contact interface on the stability of flexible bifacial CIGSe solar cells. The results show that cells with Ohmic-like contact demonstrate superior performance and long-term stability compared to those with non-Ohmic contact. The best flexible bifacial CIGSe solar cells with Ohmic-like back contact exhibit stable performance for over 70 days.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shogo Ishizuka, Jiro Nishinaga, Kosuke Beppu, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Fuuka Aoyagi, Takahiro Wada, Akira Yamada, Jakapan Chantana, Takahito Nishimura, Takashi Minemoto, Muhammad Monirul Islam, Takeaki Sakurai, Norio Terada
Summary: This paper reviews current issues in physical and chemical studies of CISe-based materials and devices, focusing on areas such as correlations between Cu-deficient phases and alkali-metals effects, applications to lightweight and flexible solar minimodules, single-crystalline epitaxial Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 films and devices, differences between Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 and Ag(In,Ga)Se-2 materials, wide-gap CuGaSe2 films and devices, all-dry processed CISe-based solar cells with high photovoltaic efficiencies, and fundamental studies on open circuit voltage loss analysis and energy band structure at the interface.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takayuki Negami, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: By controlling the Mg content in sputtered Zn1-xMgxO:Al transparent conductive oxide, the conduction band minimum difference (Delta EC-TA) between the CIGSSe absorber and TCO layer is adjusted to enhance the conversion efficiency.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takayuki Negami, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: In this study, flexible, Cd-free, and all-dry process Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) (CIGSSe) solar cells on stainless steel (SUS) substrates were developed using CIGSSe absorbers fabricated in a real production line. The oxidized surface of the absorbers after air-annealing process improved the photovoltaic performances of the solar cells by reducing carrier recombination rates and improving interface and near-surface qualities. The achieved conversion efficiency of the CIGSSe solar cell on SUS substrate was 16.7%, indicating its potential for Lab-to-Fab transition.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: This study investigates the structure and sample position effects on the performance of flexible, Cd-free, and all-dry process Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ (CIGSSe) solar cells on stainless steel substrates. The results show that the sample position plays a vital role in improving the cell performance, with a deviation from material targets leading to enhanced photovoltaic efficiency.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: In this study, the total band alignment parameters in CIGSSe solar cells were optimized theoretically and experimentally. The appropriate values of CBO, Delta EC-TA, and Delta EC-TB were determined for the selections of buffer and TCO materials, leading to enhanced photovoltaic performances.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: Flexible, lightweight, and Cd-free CIGSSe solar cells on stainless steel substrates were fabricated using special buffer and TCO layers. By optimizing the material composition, the photovoltaic performances of the devices can be improved, and carrier recombination can be effectively reduced.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jakapan Chantana, Bobur Ergashev, Yu Kawano, Yukiko Kamikawa, Shogo Ishizuka, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: CIGSe solar cells were fabricated on SLG substrates with the structure of Al/Ni/sputtered Zn(0.88)Mg(0.12)O:Al TCO/sputtered Zn1-xMgxO 2nd buffer/CdS 1st buffer/CIGSe/Mo/SLG. The impact of CBO2 between CIGSe absorber and Zn1-xMgxO 2nd buffer on cell performance and carrier recombination was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The optimization of CBO2 reduced carrier recombination, improved band bending, and increased the conversion efficiency up to 20.0%. With an antireflective coating layer, the CIGSe solar cell achieved a conversion efficiency of 21.1% with the optimized CBO2.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Jakapan Chantana, Yu Kawano, Takahito Nishimura, Abdurashid Mavlonov, Takayuki Negami, Takashi Minemoto
Summary: The conduction band offset values of flexible Cd-free solar cells with sputtered Zn0.88Mg0.12O:Al buffer and sputtered Zn1-xMgxO buffer were estimated, and it was found that adjusting the Mg content of the buffer can optimize the cell performance.
ACS APPLIED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shahriyar Safat Dipta, Md Habibur Rahaman, Walia Binte Tarique, Ashraful Hossain Howlader, Ayush Pratik, John A. Stride, Ashraf Uddin
Summary: Implementing a double-sided passivation approach can enhance the performance of n-i-p structured PSCs and improve the stability and photovoltaic properties of the cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Daniel Ourinson, Andreas Brand, Andreas Lorenz, Marwan Dhamrin, Sebastian Tepner, Michael Linse, Nathalie Goettlicher, Kosuke Tsuji, Jonas D. Huyeng, Florian Clement
Summary: This work presents two approaches to reduce the amount of silver on the rear side of M2-sized industrial iTOPCon solar cells. The Cu-based approach shows promise with similar power conversion efficiency compared to the conventional approach, while the Al-based approach exhibits some limitations but demonstrates the potential of such type of contact for iTOPCon solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Abasifreke Ebong, Donald Intal, Sandra Huneycutt, Thad Druffel, Ruvini Dharmadasa, Kevin Elmer, Apolo Nambo
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful metallization of a PERC silicon solar cell using screen-printable copper (Cu) paste. The Cu paste contains antioxidant additives and diffusion inhibitors to prevent oxidation and diffusion of Cu. The Cu-printed cells achieved an efficiency of 19% and showed no Cu diffusion after characterization tests. The long-term stability and effectiveness of the Cu diffusion barrier were also confirmed.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Senami Zogbo, Wilfried Favre, Olivier Bonino, Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret
Summary: Measuring specific contact resistivity (pc) is crucial for interface engineering in high efficiency solar cells. The Transfer Length Method (TLM) is commonly used for evaluating layer sheet resistance (Rsheet) and pc, but it is not suitable for metal/Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) interface evaluation in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells. This study investigates the parameters that restrict current confinement within the TCO, including mid-gap trap density (Dit) at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface and the activation energy (Ea = Ec - EF) variation of a-Si:H contact layers.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: The phenomenon of ribbon lengthening in PV modules exposed to thermal cycling is not well explained in the literature. In this study, a three layers model is proposed to explain this effect, and the predictions of the model are validated through finite element method simulations and experiments. The results show that the model predictions are consistent with the indirect measurements, but not with the direct measurements. Additionally, it is inferred that the encapsulant plays a role after the solder failure.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: This study investigates the problematic ribbon lengthening observed in PV modules exposed to high amplitude thermal cycling. A simplified system model is proposed and accurate predictions are obtained using the Finite Element Method. The results show that the thickness of the encapsulant has a substantial impact on the lengthening of the ribbons.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Catalan-Gomez, E. Martinez Castellano, M. Schwarz, M. Montes Bajo, L. Dorado Vargas, A. Gonzalo, A. Redondo-Cubero, A. Gallego Carro, A. Hierro, J. M. Ulloa
Summary: This study investigates the use of core-shell gallium nanoparticles as functional light scatterers on solar cells. By optimizing the nanoparticle size, the short-circuit current of the solar cells is significantly improved. The underlying physical mechanism is studied through optical measurements and simulations, and a method to reduce the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles is demonstrated.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
M. Gamel, G. Lopez, A. M. Medrano, A. Jimenez, A. Datas, M. Garin, I. Martin
Summary: In this study, a highly reflective ohmic contact to p-type c-Ge material is demonstrated, which can improve the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic devices. The experimental results show that this contact can simultaneously meet the requirements of good back surface passivation, low electrical resistivity, and high reflectivity. Moreover, simulations suggest that implementing these back contacts has the potential to achieve conversion efficiencies comparable to high-efficiency c-Ge TPV cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hongyang Wei, Qing Xu, Dongchu Chen, Min Chen, Menglei Chang, Xiufang Ye
Summary: This study prepared solar selective absorption films based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) photonic crystals using a unique electrodeposition method. The Co-Ag electrodeposited film exhibited superior solar selective absorption properties and thermal stability.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ankit Kumar, Ankit Chauhan, Jordi Llobet, Helder Fonseca, Patricia C. Sousa, Carlos Calaza, Gil Shalev
Summary: This study found that decorating subwavelength arrays with SiO2 quasi-nanolenses (qNL arrays) can enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum. Optical absorption mechanisms in qNL arrays were investigated using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), revealing that the enhancement is a result of the combination of effective antireflection coating, increased optical interactions between adjacent dielectrics for elevated light trapping, and strong light concentration due to the presence of qNLs.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Pingel, T. Wenzel, N. Goettlicher, M. Linse, L. Folcarelli, J. Schube, S. Hoffmann, S. Tepner, Y. C. Lau, J. Huyeng, A. Lorenz, F. Clement
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential to reduce silver consumption in highly efficient SHJ cells through fine-line screen printing using low temperature paste with various screens. The results show that using finer mesh allows for narrower grid fingers and lower resistance, leading to improved cell efficiency. Simulation results indicate that module wire configuration is crucial for reducing silver consumption.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xibo He, Jun Qiu, Wei Wang, Yicheng Hou, Yong Shuai
Summary: This paper proposes a novel phase change material with high thermal conductivity and stability for fast photo-thermal conversion and storage. The experimental results demonstrate excellent durability and stability of the phase change material, with good performance in thermal conductivity and thermal storage efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qingyuan Liu, Lin Wang, Zheng Liu, Guohua Liu
Summary: A new evaporating structure consisting of liquid marble with tunable nanowire array is proposed to enhance solar evaporation. The experiments show that the liquid marble with nanowire array exhibits outstanding evaporation performance, which has significant implications for seawater desalination or wastewater treatment.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Liu, Qiming Liu, Jinpei Liu, Yonggang Zhao, Yingjie Yu, Yue An, Ganghui Wei, Yanzheng Li, Yujun Fu, Junshuai Li, Deyan He
Summary: Moisture in the air is identified as the main cause of performance degradation in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells. Exposure to air leads to the growth of thin oxide layer on the interface and the formation of silver sulfide, increasing the series resistance and decreasing the fill factor, thus degrading the cell performance.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
E. Blanco, P. Martin, M. Dominguez, P. Fernandez-Palacios, I. Lombardero, C. Sanchez-Perez, I. Garcia, C. Algora, M. Gabas
Summary: This study addresses the lack of optical parameters for p-type Ge wafers by determining the complex refractive indices of commercial Ge wafers with varying doping levels. The obtained data successfully reproduces the critical points associated with interband transitions and absorption features below the bandgap. The refractive indices were validated through experimental measurements and solar cell simulations.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
