Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Physics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 28 of 28

Full-Text Articles in Physics

Bandgap Profiling In Cigs Solar Cells Via Valence Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy, Julia I. Deitz, Shankar Karki, Sylvain X. Marsillac, Tyler J. Grassman Mar 2018

Bandgap Profiling In Cigs Solar Cells Via Valence Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy, Julia I. Deitz, Shankar Karki, Sylvain X. Marsillac, Tyler J. Grassman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A robust, reproducible method for the extraction of relative bandgap trends from scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) based electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is described. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by profiling the bandgap through a CuIn1-xGaxSe2 solar cell that possesses intentional Ga/(In + Ga) composition variation. The EELS-determined bandgap profile is compared to the nominal profile calculated from compositional data collected via STEM-based energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The EELS based profile is found to closely track the calculated bandgap trends, with only a small, fixed offset difference. This method, which is particularly advantageous …


Zr-Doped Tio2 As A Thermostabilizer In Plasmon-Enhanced Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Anastasia Pasche, Bernd Grohe, Silvia Mittler, Paul A. Charpentier Sep 2017

Zr-Doped Tio2 As A Thermostabilizer In Plasmon-Enhanced Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Anastasia Pasche, Bernd Grohe, Silvia Mittler, Paul A. Charpentier

Physics and Astronomy Publications

Harvesting solar energy is a promising solution toward meeting the world’s evergrowing energy demand. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are hybrid organic–inorganic solar cells with tremendous potential for commercial application, but they are plagued by in efficiency due to their poor sunlight absorption. Plasmonic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been shown to enhance the absorptive properties of DSSCs, but their plasmonic resonance can cause thermal damage resulting in cell deterioration. Hence, the influence of Zr-doped TiO2 on the efficiency of plasmon-enhanced DSSCs was studied, showing that 5 mol.% Zr-doping of the photoactive TiO2 material can improve the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs by …


Band Offsets At The Interface Between Crystalline And Amorphous Silicon From First Principles, Karol Jarolimek, E. Hazrati, R. A. De Groot, D. A. De Wijs Jul 2017

Band Offsets At The Interface Between Crystalline And Amorphous Silicon From First Principles, Karol Jarolimek, E. Hazrati, R. A. De Groot, D. A. De Wijs

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

The band offsets between crystalline and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a−Si∶H) are key parameters governing the charge transport in modern silicon heterojunction solar cells. They are an important input for macroscopic simulators that are used to further optimize the solar cell. Past experimental studies, using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and capacitance-voltage measurements, have yielded conflicting results on the band offset. Here, we present a computational study on the band offsets. It is based on atomistic models and density-functional theory (DFT). The amorphous part of the interface is obtained by relatively long DFT first-principles molecular-dynamics runs at an elevated temperature …


A Perspective On The Recent Progress In Solution-Processed Methods For Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells, Ashwith Kumar Chilvery, S. Das, P. Guggilla, C. Brantley, Anderson Sunda-Meya Jan 2016

A Perspective On The Recent Progress In Solution-Processed Methods For Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells, Ashwith Kumar Chilvery, S. Das, P. Guggilla, C. Brantley, Anderson Sunda-Meya

Faculty and Staff Publications

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) were developed in 2009 and have led to a number of significant improvements in clean energy technology. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs has increased exponentially and currently stands at 22%. PSCs are transforming photovoltaic (PV) technology, outpacing many established PV technologies through their versatility and roll-to-roll manufacturing compatibility. The viability of low-temperature and solution-processed manufacturing has further improved their viability. This article provides a brief overview of the stoichiometry of perovskite materials, the engineering behind various modes of manufacturing by solution processing methods, and recommendations for future research to achieve large-scale manufacturing of high …


Hybrid Type-I Inas/Gaas And Type-Ii Gasb/Gaas Quantum Dot Structure With Enhanced Photoluminescence, Hai-Ming Ji, Baolai Liang, Paul J. Simmonds, Bor-Chau Juang, Tao Yang, Robert J. Young, Diana L. Huffaker Mar 2015

Hybrid Type-I Inas/Gaas And Type-Ii Gasb/Gaas Quantum Dot Structure With Enhanced Photoluminescence, Hai-Ming Ji, Baolai Liang, Paul J. Simmonds, Bor-Chau Juang, Tao Yang, Robert J. Young, Diana L. Huffaker

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We investigate the photoluminescence (PL) properties of a hybrid type-I InAs/GaAs and type-II GaSb/GaAs quantum dot (QD) structure grown in a GaAs matrix by molecular beam epitaxy. This hybrid QD structure exhibits more intense PL with a broader spectral range, compared with control samples that contain only InAs or GaSb QDs. This enhanced PL performance is attributed to additional electron and hole injection from the type-I InAs QDs into the adjacent type-II GaSb QDs. We confirm this mechanism using time-resolved and power-dependent PL.These hybrid QD structures show potential for high efficiency QD solar cell applications.


Electron And Hole Drift Mobility Measurements On Thin Film Cdte Solar Cells, Qi Long, Steluta A. Dinca, Eric A. Schiff, Ming Yu, Jeremy Theil Jul 2014

Electron And Hole Drift Mobility Measurements On Thin Film Cdte Solar Cells, Qi Long, Steluta A. Dinca, Eric A. Schiff, Ming Yu, Jeremy Theil

Physics - All Scholarship

We report electron and hole drift mobilities in thin film polycrystalline CdTe solar cells based on photocarrier time-of-flight measurements. For a deposition process similar to that used for high-efficiency cells, the electron drift mobilities are in the range of 10–100 cm2/Vs, and holes are in the range of 1–10 cm2/Vs. The electron drift mobilities are about a thousand times smaller than those measured in single crystal CdTe with time-of-flight; the hole mobilities are about ten times smaller. Cells were examined before and after a vapor phase treatment with CdCl2; treatment had little effect on …


Manufacture And Investigation Of Organic Composite Polymer Based Films For Advanced Flexible Solar Cells, Raffie Arshak Dec 2013

Manufacture And Investigation Of Organic Composite Polymer Based Films For Advanced Flexible Solar Cells, Raffie Arshak

Masters

Modern society has created big challenges in the area of sustainable supply of energy to satisfy the needs of growing population and to account for depleting fossil fuel resources. The Irish Government has set targets for the energy sector by 2020, with 33% of electricity to be generated from renewable sources. Organic photovoltaic devices offer several advantages over expensive silicon solar cells, including deposition of ultra-thin films by spin-coating, printing and spray-coating. This in turn provides for the exciting possibility to make lightweight, flexible solar cells for a broad range of existing and emerging applications for security, military and medicine. …


Electron Drift-Mobility Measurements In Polycrystalline Cuin1-Xgaxse2 Solar Cells, Steluta A. Dinca, Eric A. Schiff, William N. Shafarman, Brian Egaas, Rommel Noufi, David L. Young Mar 2012

Electron Drift-Mobility Measurements In Polycrystalline Cuin1-Xgaxse2 Solar Cells, Steluta A. Dinca, Eric A. Schiff, William N. Shafarman, Brian Egaas, Rommel Noufi, David L. Young

Physics - All Scholarship

We report photocarrier time-of-flight measurements of electron drift mobilities for the p-type CuIn1-xGaxSe2 films incorporated in solar cells. The electron mobilities range from 0.02 to 0.05 cm^2/Vs and are weakly temperature-dependent from 100–300 K. These values are lower than the range of electron Hall mobilities (2-1100 cm2/Vs) reported for n-type polycrystalline thin films and single crystals. We propose that the electron drift mobilities are properties of disorder-induced mobility edges and discuss how this disorder could increase cell efficiencies.


Properties Of Cu(In,Ga) Se2 Thin Films And Solar Cells Deposited By Hybrid Process, S. Marsillac, H. Khatri, K. Aryal, R. W. Collins Feb 2012

Properties Of Cu(In,Ga) Se2 Thin Films And Solar Cells Deposited By Hybrid Process, S. Marsillac, H. Khatri, K. Aryal, R. W. Collins

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 solar cells were fabricated using a hybrid cosputtering/evaporation process, and efficiencies as high as 12.4% were achieved. The films were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, glancing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, auger electron spectroscopy, and transmittance and reflectance spectroscopy, and their properties were compared to the ones of films deposited by coevaporation. Even though the films were relatively similar, the ones deposited by the hybrid process tend to have smaller grains with a slightly preferred orientation along the (112) axis and a rougher surface. Both types of films have uniform composition through the depth. Characterization of these films …


Thermodynamic Limit To Photonic-Plasmonic Light-Trapping In Thin Films On Metals, Eric A. Schiff Nov 2011

Thermodynamic Limit To Photonic-Plasmonic Light-Trapping In Thin Films On Metals, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

We calculate the maximum optical absorptance enhancements in thin semiconductor films on metals due to structures that diffuse light and couple it to surface plasmon polaritons. The calculations can be used to estimate plasmonic effects on light-trapping in solar cells. The calculations are based on the statistical distribution of energy in the electromagnetic modes of the structure, which include surface plasmon polariton modes at the metal interface as well as the trapped waveguide modes in the film. The enhancement has the form 4n2+/h (n – film refractive index, λ – optical wavelength, h …


Scanning Capacitance Spectroscopy On N+-P Asymmetrical Junctions In Multicrystalline Si Solar Cells, Chun-Sheng Jiang, Jennifer T. Heath, Helio R. Moutinho, Mowafak M. Al-Jassim Jan 2011

Scanning Capacitance Spectroscopy On N+-P Asymmetrical Junctions In Multicrystalline Si Solar Cells, Chun-Sheng Jiang, Jennifer T. Heath, Helio R. Moutinho, Mowafak M. Al-Jassim

Faculty Publications

We report on a scanning capacitance spectroscopy (SCS) study on the n+-p junction of multicrystalline silicon solar cells. We found that the spectra taken at space intervals of ∼10 nm exhibit characteristic features that depend strongly on the location relative to the junction. The capacitance-voltage spectra exhibit a local minimum capacitance value at the electrical junction, which allows the junction to be identified with ∼10-nm resolution. The spectra also show complicated transitions from the junction to the n-region with two local capacitance minima on the capacitance-voltage curves; similar spectra to that have not been previously reported in …


Pulsed Laser Deposition Of Graphite Counter Electrodes For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Krishna P. Acharya, Himal Khatri, Sylvain Marsillac, Bruno Ullrich, Pavel Anzenbacher, Mikhail Zamkov Nov 2010

Pulsed Laser Deposition Of Graphite Counter Electrodes For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Krishna P. Acharya, Himal Khatri, Sylvain Marsillac, Bruno Ullrich, Pavel Anzenbacher, Mikhail Zamkov

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We report on pulsed laser deposition of graphite onto flexible plastic and conductive glass substrates for use as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. The efficiency of as-prepared graphite electrodes was tested using CdS-sensitized solar cell architecture resulting in external quantum efficiency comparable to that of conventional platinum counter electrodes. This work highlights the possibility of using pulsed laser deposited graphite as a low-cost alternative to platinum, which could be fabricated both on flexible and rigid substrates.


Design Of Organic Tandem Solar Cells Using Pcpdtbt: Pc61 Bm And P3ht: Pc71bm, Gon Namkoong, Patrick Boland, Keejoo Lee, James Dean Jan 2010

Design Of Organic Tandem Solar Cells Using Pcpdtbt: Pc61 Bm And P3ht: Pc71bm, Gon Namkoong, Patrick Boland, Keejoo Lee, James Dean

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We conducted optical and electrical simulations with the goal of determining the optimal design for conjugated polymer-fullerene tandem solar cells using poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)- 4H-cyclopenta[2,1- b;3,4- b′] dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT): [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC61 BM) as a bottom cell and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): [6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as a top cell. The effects of photon density, absorption, balanced and unbalanced charge carrier transport, and bimolecular recombination in the two subcells were incorporated into the simulations. We found that the maximum energy conversion efficiency (η) is 9% when charge carrier mobilities in …


Polyaniline On Crystalline Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells, Weining Wang, Eric A. Schiff Jan 2007

Polyaniline On Crystalline Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells, Weining Wang, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

Organic/inorganic heterojunction solar cells were fabricated on the (100) face of n-type silicon crystals using acid-doped polyaniline PANI with widely varying conductivities. For films with conductivities below 10−1 S/cm, the open-circuit voltage VOC increases with increasing film conductivity as expected when VOC is limited by the work function of the film. Extrapolation of these results to the higher conductivity films indicates that PANI could support VOC of 0.7 V or larger. VOC measurements for the cells with higher conductivity PANI saturated at 0.51 V. We speculate that uncontrolled surface states at the PANI/Si interface are reducing these values.


Hole Mobilities And The Physics Of Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Eric A. Schiff Jan 2006

Hole Mobilities And The Physics Of Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

The effects of low hole mobilities in the intrinsic layer of pin solar cells are illustrated using general computer modeling; in these models electron mobilities are assumed to be much larger than hole values. The models reveal that a low hole mobility can be the most important photocarrier transport parameter in determining the output power of the cell, and that the effects of recombination parameters are much weaker. Recent hole drift-mobility measurements in a-Si:H are compared. While hole drift mobilities in intrinsic a-Si:H are now up to tenfold larger than two decades ago, even with recent materials a-Si:H cells are …


Hole Mobility Limit Of Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Jiang Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, Jeff Yang Jan 2006

Hole Mobility Limit Of Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Jiang Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, Jeff Yang

Physics - All Scholarship

We present temperature-dependent measurements and modeling for a thickness series of hydrogenated amorphous silicon nip solar cells. The comparison indicates that the maximum power density (PMAX) from the as-deposited cells has achieved the hole-mobility limit established by valence bandtail trapping, and PMAX is thus not significantly limited by intrinsic-layer dangling bonds or by the doped layers and interfaces. Measurements of the temperature-dependent properties of light-soaked cells show that the properties of as-deposited and light-soaked cells converge below 250 K; a model perturbing the valence band tail traps with a density of dangling bonds accounts adequately for the convergence effect.


Conducting Polymer And Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Hybrid Solar Cells, Evan L. Williams, Ghassan E. Jabbour, Qi Wang, Sean E. Shaheen, Eric A. Schiff Jan 2005

Conducting Polymer And Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Hybrid Solar Cells, Evan L. Williams, Ghassan E. Jabbour, Qi Wang, Sean E. Shaheen, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

An organic-inorganic hybrid solar cell with a p-i-n stack structure has been investigated. The p-layer was a spin coated film of PEDOT:PSS poly 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene polystyrenesulfonate. The i-layer was hydrogenated amorphous silicon a-Si:H, and the n-layer was microcrystalline silicon c-Si. The inorganic layers were deposited on top of the organic layer by the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition technique at 200 °C. These hybrid devices exhibited open circuit voltages VOC as large as 0.88 V and solar conversion efficiencies as large as 2.1%. Comparison of these devices with those incorporating a-SiC:H:B p-layers indicates that the organic layer is acting as an electrically …


Temperature-Dependent Open-Circuit Voltage Measurements And Light-Soaking In Hydrogenated Amorphous Silcon Solar Cells, Jianjun Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, Jeff Yang Jan 2005

Temperature-Dependent Open-Circuit Voltage Measurements And Light-Soaking In Hydrogenated Amorphous Silcon Solar Cells, Jianjun Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, Jeff Yang

Physics - All Scholarship

We present temperature-dependent measurements of the open-circuit voltage VOC(T) in hydrogenated amorphous silicon nip solar cells prepared at United Solar. At room-temperature and above, VOC measured using near-solar illumination intensity differs by as much as 0.04 V for the as-deposited and light-soaked states; the values of VOC for the two states converge below 250 K. Models for VOC based entirely on recombination through deep levels (dangling bonds) do not account for the convergence effect. The convergence is present in a model that assumes the recombination traffic in the as-deposited state involves only bandtails, but which splits the recombination traffic fairly …


Light-Soaking Effects On The Open-Circuit Voltage Of A-Si:H Solar Cells, Jianjun Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, J. Yang Jan 2005

Light-Soaking Effects On The Open-Circuit Voltage Of A-Si:H Solar Cells, Jianjun Liang, Eric A. Schiff, S. Guha, Baojie Yan, J. Yang

Physics - All Scholarship

We present measurements on the decline of the open-circuit voltage VOC in a-Si:H solar cells during extended illumination (light-soaking) at 295 K. We used a near-infrared laser that was nearly uniformly absorbed in the intrinsic layer of the cell. At the highest photogeneration rate (about 2x1021 cm-3), a noticeable decline (0.01 V) occurred within about 10 minutes; VOC stabilized at 0.04 V below its initial value after about 200 hours. We found that both the kinetics and the magnitudes of VOC are reasonably consistent with the predictions of a calculation combining a bandtail+defect picture for recombination and a hydrogen-collision model …


Evolution Of The Band Structure Of Β-In2 S3−3x O3x Buffer Layer With Its Oxygen Content, N. Barreau, S. Marsillac, J. C. Bernède, L. Assmann May 2003

Evolution Of The Band Structure Of Β-In2 S3−3x O3x Buffer Layer With Its Oxygen Content, N. Barreau, S. Marsillac, J. C. Bernède, L. Assmann

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The evolution of the band structure of β-In2 S3−3x O3x (BISO) thin films grown by physical vapor deposition, with composition x, is investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is shown that the energy difference between the valence-band level and the Fermi level remains nearly constant as the optical band gap of the films increases. As a consequence, the difference between the conduction band level and the Fermi level increases as much as the optical band gap of the films. The calculation of the electronic affinity [ ] of the BISO thin films shows that it decreases linearly from 4.65 …


Bandtail Limits To Solar Conversion Efficiencies In Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Kai Zhu, Weining Wang, Eric A. Schiff, Jianjun Liang, S. Guha Jan 2003

Bandtail Limits To Solar Conversion Efficiencies In Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, Kai Zhu, Weining Wang, Eric A. Schiff, Jianjun Liang, S. Guha

Physics - All Scholarship

We describe a model for a-Si:H based pin solar cells derived primarily from valence bandtail properties. We show how hole drift-mobility measurements and measurements of the temperature-dependence of the open-circuit voltage VOC can be used to estimate the parameters, and we present VOC(T) measurements. We compared the power density under solar illumination calculated with this model with published results for as-deposited a-Si:H solar cells. The agreement is within 4% for a range of thicknesses, suggesting that the power from as-deposited cells is close to the bandtail limit.


Amorphous Silicon Based Solar Cells, Xunming Deng, Eric A. Schiff Jan 2003

Amorphous Silicon Based Solar Cells, Xunming Deng, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

Crystalline semiconductors are very well known, including silicon (the basis of the integrated circuits used in modern electronics), Ge (the material of the first transistor), GaAs and the other III-V compounds (the basis for many light emitters), and CdS (often used as a light sensor). In crystals, the atoms are arranged in near-perfect, regular arrays or lattices. Of course, the lattice must be consistent with the underlying chemical bonding properties of the atoms. For example, a silicon atom forms four covalent bonds to neighboring atoms arranged symmetrically about it. This “tetrahedral” configuration is perfectly maintained in the “diamond” lattice of …


Determining The Locus For Photocarrier Recombination In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Kai Zhu, Eric A. Schiff, N. G. Park, J. Van De Lagemaat, A. J. Frank Jan 2002

Determining The Locus For Photocarrier Recombination In Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Kai Zhu, Eric A. Schiff, N. G. Park, J. Van De Lagemaat, A. J. Frank

Physics - All Scholarship

We present intensity-modulated photocurrent and infrared transmittance measurements on dye-sensitized solar cells based on a mesoporous titania (TiO2) matrix immersed in an iodine-based electrolyte. Under short-circuit conditions, we show that an elementary analysis accurately relates the two measurements. Under open-circuit conditions, infrared transmittance, and photovoltage measurements yield information on the characteristic depth at which electrons recombine with ions (the ‘‘locus of recombination’’). For one particular series of samples recombination occurred near the substrate supporting the titania film, as opposed to homogeneously throughout the film.


Thermionic Emission Model For Interface Effects On The Open-Circuit Voltage Of Amorphous Silicon Based Solar Cells, Eric A. Schiff Jan 2002

Thermionic Emission Model For Interface Effects On The Open-Circuit Voltage Of Amorphous Silicon Based Solar Cells, Eric A. Schiff

Physics - All Scholarship

We present computer modeling for effects of the p/i interface upon the open-circuit voltage VOC in amorphous silicon based pin solar cells. We show that the modeling is consistent with measurements on the intensitydependence for the interface effect, and we present an interpretation for the modeling based on thermionic emission of electrons over the electrostatic barrier at the p/i interface. We present additional modeling of the relation of VOC with the intrinsic layer bandgap EG. The experimental correlation for optimized cells is VOC = (EG/e)-0.79. The correlation is simply explained if VOC in these cells is determined by the intrinsic …


Effect Of Ga Content On Defect States In Cuin1-XGaXSe2 Photovoltaic Devices, Jennifer T. Heath, J. David Cohen, William N. Shafarman, Dongxiang Liao, Angus Rockett Jan 2002

Effect Of Ga Content On Defect States In Cuin1-XGaXSe2 Photovoltaic Devices, Jennifer T. Heath, J. David Cohen, William N. Shafarman, Dongxiang Liao, Angus Rockett

Faculty Publications

Defects in the band gap of CuIn1-xGaxSe2 have been characterized using transient photocapacitance spectroscopy. The measured spectra clearly show response from a band of defects centered around 0.8 eV from the valence band edge as well as an exponential distribution of band tail states. Despite Ga contents ranging from Ga/(In+Ga)=0.0 to 0.8, the defect bandwidth and its position relative to the valence band remain constant. This defect band may act as an important recombination center, contributing to the decrease in device efficiency with increasing Ga content.


High-Efficiency Solar Cells Based On Cu(Inal)Se[Sub 2] Thin Films, S. Marsillac, P. D. Paulson, M. W. Haimbodi, R. W. Birkmire, W. N. Shafarman Jan 2002

High-Efficiency Solar Cells Based On Cu(Inal)Se[Sub 2] Thin Films, S. Marsillac, P. D. Paulson, M. W. Haimbodi, R. W. Birkmire, W. N. Shafarman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A Cu(InAl)Se2solar cell with 16.9% efficiency is demonstrated using a Cu(InAl)Se2thin film deposited by four-source elemental evaporation and a device structure of glass/Mo/Cu(InAl)Se2/CdS/ZnO/indium tin oxide/(Ni/Algrid)/MgF2. A key to high efficiency is improved adhesion between the Cu(InAl)Se2 and the Mo back contact layer, provided by a 5-nm-thick Ga interlayer, which enabled the Cu(InAl)Se2 to be deposited at a 530 °C substrate temperature. Film and device properties are compared to Cu(InGa)Se2 with the same band gap of 1.16 eV. The solar cells have similar behavior, with performance limited by recombination through …


Low‐Cost Technique For Preparing N‐Sb2S3/P‐Si Heterojunction Solar Cells, O. Savadogo, K. C. Mandal Jul 1993

Low‐Cost Technique For Preparing N‐Sb2S3/P‐Si Heterojunction Solar Cells, O. Savadogo, K. C. Mandal

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Picosecond Laser Pulse Irradiation Of Crystalline Silicon, K. L. Merkle, H. Baumgart, R.H. Uebbing, F. Phillipp Jan 1982

Picosecond Laser Pulse Irradiation Of Crystalline Silicon, K. L. Merkle, H. Baumgart, R.H. Uebbing, F. Phillipp

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Morphology changes introduced by picosecond laser pulses at λ = 532 nm and 355 nm in (111) and (100) silicon samples are studied by means of optical and high-voltage electron microscopy. Depending on energy fluence, orientation and wavelength, amorphous or highly defective regions may be created. From an analysis of damage thresholds and damage depth distributions it is concluded that melting and energy confinement precedes the formation of the structural changes.