Article
Energy & Fuels
Diego A. Garzon, Christian Rossi, Ishwor Khatri, Francesco Soggia, Ihsan Caha, Francis Leonard Deepak, Diego Colombara, Sascha Sadewasser
Summary: The formation of Cd-free Zn1-xSnxOy (ZTO) thin film buffer layers for CIGSe solar cells was studied using chemical bath deposition. By modifying the deposition procedure, flatter ZTO films were obtained with inhibited columnar growth. Increasing the concentration of Sn in the chemical bath resulted in a nontrivial increase in the bandgap. Using a 20% Sn concentration, the CIGSe solar cells achieved similar performance to those with a CdS buffer layer, with a maximum efficiency of 10.4% and an average efficiency of 9%.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
William Vallejo, Carlos Diaz-Uribe, Cesar Quinones
Summary: CBD is a suitable technique to fabricate semiconductors under soft conditions, and Zn(O;OH)S thin films were deposited to analyze the effect of layers on buffer layers' properties. Optical results revealed a decrease in transmittance with an increase in layers, while structural characterization indicated that the coatings were polycrystalline.
Review
Materials Science, Ceramics
L. Piperno, A. Vannozzi, G. Sotgiu, G. Celentano
Summary: Chemical solution deposition of CeO2-based buffer layers is commonly used for producing coated conductors, although achieving the necessary characteristics of biaxial texture, flatness, and chemical inertia can be challenging. This review explores the theoretical background of nucleation and epitaxial growth, discusses common issues, and summarizes relevant results using surface roughness as a key parameter for evaluating buffer layer quality.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jaebaek Lee, Dong-Hwan Jeon, Dae-Kue Hwang, Kee-Jeong Yang, Jin-Kyu Kang, Shi-Joon Sung, Hyunwoong Park, Dae-Hwan Kim
Summary: This study utilized atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes to fabricate thin window layers for Cu(In-x,Ga1-x)Se-2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cells, showing superior photovoltaic performances and increased efficiency compared to traditional sputtering techniques.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hasan A. Yetkin, Tim Kodalle, Tobias Bertram, Alejandra Villanueva Tovar, Reiner Klenk, Marin Rusu, Josefa Ibaceta-Jana, Florian Ruske, Ibrahim Simseke, Ruslan Muydinov, Bernd Szyszka, Rutger Schlatmann, Christian A. Kaufmann
Summary: This contribution investigates the impact of thermal stress on Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 (CIGSe) thin film photovoltaic devices, focusing on their tolerance to high temperatures for potential applications in tandem solar cells. Elemental interdiffusion and chemical reactions at the CIGSe/CdS interface under thermal stress lead to degraded power conversion efficiency in CdS-buffered CIGSe solar cells. The study compares the degradation mechanisms of CdS and GaOx buffered CIGSe solar cells and proposes a model to explain the observed behaviors.
IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kunal J. Tiwari, Sergio Giraldo, Marcel Placidi, Axel Gon Medaille, Angelica Thomere, Shahaboddin Resalati, Edgardo Saucedo, Zacharie Jehl Li-Kao
Summary: The potential of tandem solar cells combining two chalcopyrite absorbers was evaluated using numerical modeling and optical optimizations, suggesting significant progress can be made by utilizing a pure CuGaSe2 absorber with an optimized back contact containing an ultrathin transition metal oxide interlayer. By doubling the bottom subcell current in the optimum top subcell configuration, a challenging yet clear pathway for the future realization of tandem solar cells based on chalcopyrite absorbers is offered.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Siyu Wang, Zhenwu Jiang, Zhan Shen, Yali Sun, Hongling Guo, Li Wu, Jianjun Zhang, Jianping Ao, Hai Wang, Yi Zhang
Summary: The study introduced an additional In(2)S(3) buffer layer and improved the properties of the Zn(O,S) and CZTSSe layers through post-annealing and etching treatments, resulting in an efficiency improvement of 24% in CZTSSe solar cells.
SCIENCE CHINA-MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jiang Cheng, Zhen Zhang, Minghao Zhao, Youwei Guan, Xihao Chen, Xiang Meng, Hua Tang, Lu Li, Shenghao Wang
Summary: CdS films prepared using spin-coating technique show excellent performance as a buffer layer for chalcogenide solar cells. By controlling the oxygen content through changing the Cd/S ratio in the solution, anhydrous spin solution can be used. The introduction of an appropriate amount of oxygen improves carrier transport efficiency and decreases interface recombination, leading to an improved efficiency of 5.76% for Sb2Se3 solar cells.
MATERIALS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yufan Liu, Bin Li, Xiaoyang Liang, Tao Liu, Shufang Wang, Zhiqiang Li
Summary: This study improves the performance of Sb2Se3 solar cells by preparing CdS:O buffer layers and using CBD-CdS to repair interface damage. Optimizing the composition and phase of the composite buffer allows for the achievement of wide band-gap buffer layers and improvement in device spectra response and JSC, VOC parameters.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Pravin S. Pawar, Raju Nandi, Krishna Rao Eswar Neerugatti, Indu Sharma, Rahul Kumar Yadav, Yong Tae Kim, Jae Yu Cho, Jaeyeong Heo
Summary: The application of double buffer layers can enhance the power conversion efficiency of antimony sulfide thin-film solar cells. In this study, SnO2 and TiO2 were applied as double buffer layers with CdS, leading to reduced surface roughness of ETLs and improved orientation of the Sb2S3 absorber. The use of double buffer layers also resulted in significant improvements in open-circuit voltage and PCE.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yunxiang Zhang, Shishi Xu, Zhichao Mu, Kailu Liu, Jikun Chen, Chenliang Zhou, Yifeng Yao, Xiao Chen, Lin Shi, Zhongjie Wang, Yun Sun, Wei Liu, Qinfang Zhang
Summary: Investigations on the potential of Bi-based materials as buffer layers for efficient CIGS solar cells reveal that BiOX materials possess 2D nanosheet structures and show promising performance. Among the BiOX materials, BiOBr exhibits the highest conversion efficiency due to its similar energy band distribution with CdS.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Taeyong Eom, Songhee Kim, Raphael E. Agbenyeke, Hyunmin Jung, Seon Min Shin, Young Kuk Lee, Chang Gyoun Kim, Taek-Mo Chung, Nam Joong Jeon, Helen Hejin Park, Jangwon Seo
Summary: Thermal evaporation is a common method for depositing sputter buffer materials in semitransparent perovskite solar cells, but the limited selection and control of materials properties lead to inefficiency. Incorporating copper oxide into perovskite solar cells as a sputter buffer layer through pulsed-chemical vapor deposition can maintain stable efficiency for over 150 hours.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yizhe Dong, Lei Huang, Haolin Wang, Xiaoqi Peng, Yan Wang, Rongfeng Tang, Changfei Zhu, Tao Chen
Summary: The posttreatment of In2S3 film with ZnCl2 solution serves as a buffer layer for constructing Sb2Se3 solar cells, improving the interfacial contact and suppressing carrier recombination. This strategy provides a facile and effective approach for using In2S3 as a buffer layer in inorganic chalcogenide solar cells.
Article
Optics
Hyeongsu Choi, Namgue Lee, Hyunwoo Park, Yeonsik Choi, Hyunwoo Yuk, Junghoon Lee, Sung Gwon Lee, Eun Jong Lee, Hyeongtag Jeon
Summary: The electronic band structure of Zn(O,S) films was investigated by depositing films with different ZnO/ZnS cycle ratios to achieve an ideal flat CBO matching with the SnS absorber layer.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Swati Bishnoi, Ram Datt, Sandeep Arya, Sonal Gupta, Ramashanker Gupta, Wing Chung Tsoi, Shailesh N. Sharma, Shashikant P. Patole, Vinay Gupta
Summary: This article provides a detailed insight into the efficient cathode buffer layers (CBLs) in conventional and inverted organic solar cells (OSCs). The CBL can improve the performance of the devices by reducing contact resistance and charge recombination, leading to efficient charge extraction and enhanced power conversion efficiency. The chemical composition, morphology, thickness, dopants, and deposition conditions of CBL and their effects on device performance are discussed. The best performing CBLs are summarized and their chemical structures are examined.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Solene Bechu, Muriel Bouttemy, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Arnaud Etcheberry
Summary: A comprehensive study of Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 (CIGS) surface reactivity in air was conducted using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), revealing the significant impact of relative humidity on surface degradation. Maintaining a relative humidity of 20% can limit and even almost halt the degradation mechanism, which is closely related to the formation of a thin water layer inherent to relative humidity.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shan-Ting Zhang, Alina Maltseva, Gunilla Herting, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Nathanaelle Schneider, Inger Odnevall, Polina Volovitch
Summary: This study for the first time investigated the impact of atmospheric aerosol pollutants on the durability of non-metallic photovoltaic materials, finding that encapsulated AZO showed enhanced degradation in the presence of pollutants.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Stefania Cacovich, Pia Dally, Guillaume Vidon, Marie Legrand, Stephanie Gbegnon, Jean Rousset, Jean-Baptiste Puel, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Philip Schulz, Muriel Bouttemy, Arnaud Etcheberry
Summary: The investigation combines XPS profiling and PL characterization to study the effects of Ar+ sputtering on the chemical composition and optoelectronic properties of perovskite layers. The results show that sputtering does not significantly impact the chemical and optoelectronic properties, validating the use of XPS profiling and PL characterization for studying multi-layered photovoltaic devices.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Maxime Giteau, Samy Almosni, Jean-Francois Guillemoles
Summary: Conventional single-junction solar cells have a limit of 33% in theoretical efficiency, and only multi-junction solar cells can overcome this limit. Hot-carrier solar cells, another high-efficiency approach, have been hindered by the difficulty of mitigating carriers' thermalization. This letter introduces the concept of hot-carrier multi-junction solar cells and compares the efficiency of different devices based on various parameters.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Yi Zhang, Gavin Conibeer, Shuang Liu, Jiayu Zhang, Jean-Francois Guillemoles
Summary: The hot carrier solar cell aims to increase energy conversion efficiency by capturing the excess energy of excited hot carriers. Phonon bottleneck effects (PBE) play a decisive role in reducing carrier thermalization rate. This study systematically reviews the mechanisms of PBE in III-V semiconductors, highlighting the enhanced PBE in low-dimensional III-V semiconductors due to quantum confinement effects.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stefania Cacovich, Guillaume Vidon, Matteo Degani, Marie Legrand, Laxman Gouda, Jean-Baptiste Puel, Yana Vaynzof, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Daniel Ory, Giulia Grancini
Summary: Interface engineering using passivating agents is an effective strategy to improve the performance of perovskite solar cells. This study investigates the interface and device physics of high efficiency inverted solar cells, quantifying charge recombination and losses. The results show that organic passivation mainly affects the perovskite/PCBM interface, and the use of organic passivation maximizes the photovoltaic figures of merit.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hamidreza Esmaielpour, Laurent Lombez, Maxime Giteau, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Daniel Suchet
Summary: Hot carrier solar cells aim to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic devices by suppressing hot carrier thermalization and extracting them through energy selective contacts. This study investigates the impact of excitation energy on the properties of hot carriers in an InGaAs multi-quantum well structure at different lattice temperatures and excitation powers. The thermodynamic properties of hot carriers are determined through full PL spectrum fitting and consideration of band filling effects.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Arthur Julien, Jean-Baptiste Puel, Jean-Francois Guillemoles
Summary: A novel simulation method is used to identify the mechanisms responsible for the degradation of perovskite solar cells. Experimental data is compared to simulated pathways in order to determine the dominant cause of performance losses and provide insights for stability improvements.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chunyang Dong, Di Hu, Karima Ben Tayeb, Pardis Simon, Ahmed Addad, Martine Trentesaux, Danilo Oliveira de Souza, Sergei Chernyak, Deizi V. Peron, Amelle Rebai, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Xavier Wallart, Bruno Grandidier, Andrei Y. Khodakov, Negar Naghavi, Vitaly V. Ordomsky
Summary: Selective methane photocatalytic oxidation to CO and H2 at ambient conditions is a main challenge in the chemical industry. In this study, conventional Cu (In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorbers used in solar cells were found to be excellent candidates for methane valorization. A thin film of CIGS coated over Mo demonstrated exceptional performance in methane partial oxidation to CO and H2, with a stable CO productivity of 2.4 mmol per gram of CIGS and a selectivity to CO of over 80%.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yongjie Zou, Hamidreza Esmaielpour, Daniel Suchet, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Stephen M. M. Goodnick
Summary: Under continuous-wave laser excitation, the carrier temperature in a lattice-matched MQW structure exhibits a faster rise for 405 nm compared to 980 nm excitation, as the injected carrier density increases. The dominant factor for this temperature rise is nonequilibrium LO phonon effects, with the Pauli exclusion playing a significant role at high carrier densities. Additionally, the study reveals the presence of carriers in satellite L-valleys due to strong intervalley transfer during 405 nm excitation, resulting in a cooler steady-state electron temperature in the central valley. This research enhances our understanding of hot carrier dynamics in semiconductors and can be applied to reduce energy loss in solar cells.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Aleksandra Bojar, Daniel Micha, Maxime Giteau, Marco A. Ruiz-Preciado, Ulrich W. Paetzold, Marcel Simor, Veronique S. Gevaerts, Romain Carron, Karim Medjoubi, Stephane Collin, Negar Naghavi, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Philip Schulz
Summary: In this study, the transfer matrix method is used to analyze the optical properties of different solar cell devices based on CI(G)S and PVK absorbers. By fitting experimental data and performing an optical loss analysis, we identified sources of parasitic absorption and suggested substitute materials for better efficiency. Our findings provide guidelines for the development of monolithic PVK/CI(G)S tandem solar cells, with a predicted achievable efficiency of 30%.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guillaume Vidon, Pia Dally, Mirella Al-Katrib, Daniel Ory, Minjin Kim, Etienne Soret, Eva Rangayen, Marie Legrand, Alexandre Blaizot, Philip Schulz, Jean-Baptiste Puel, Daniel Suchet, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Arnaud Etcheberry, Muriel Bouttemy, Stefania Cacovich
Summary: Understanding the effects of X-rays on halide perovskite thin films is crucial for accurate characterization and practical usage of these materials in detection systems. This study utilizes advanced optical imaging techniques to comprehensively understand the degradation mechanism occurring in the material during photoemission spectroscopy measurements. The findings highlight the impact of X-rays on the perovskite layers, providing valuable insights for investigations using X-ray based techniques and the development of perovskite-based X-ray detectors and solar cells for space applications.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Adele Debono, Hortense L'Hostis, Amelle Rebai, Erlind Mysliu, Inger Odnevall, Nathanaelle Schneider, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Andreas Erbe, Polina Volovitch
Summary: This study investigates the stability of the interfaces between molybdenum back contact and CIGS absorber layers in CIGS-based solar cells. The results indicate that the molybdenum layer degrades through oxidation when exposed to humidity and temperature variations as well as atmospheric pollution, while the CIGS layer is less affected.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Joanna M. Urban, Abdelaziz Jouaiti, Nathalie Gruber, Geraud Delport, Gaelle Trippe-Allard, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Emmanuelle Deleporte, Sylvie Ferlay, Damien Garrot
Summary: This study reports a series of low dimensional 1D enantiomerically pure and racemic lead bromide perovskite compounds, with their crystal structure and photoluminescence properties tuned by the choice of organic cations. These compounds show potential for use in linearly-polarized broadband light-emitting devices.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sandy Sanchez, Stefania Cacovich, Guillaume Vidon, Jean-Francois Guillemoles, Felix Eickemeyer, Shaik M. Zakeeruddin, Jurgen E. K. Schawe, Jorg F. Loffler, Cyril Cayron, Pascal Schouwink, Michael Graetzel
Summary: We employed flash infrared annealing to investigate the phase transition of formamidinium lead triiodide thin films for solar cell applications. By optimizing the film crystallization processing parameters, we achieved highly stable black perovskite solar cells with a high power conversion efficiency.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
