Improved photoelectrochemical performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films prepared by pulsed electrodeposition

• Solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber layers have yielded the highest conversion efficiency among all the thin-film technologies. CIGS thin-films possess large optical absorption coefficient (≈105 cm-1) and a suitable bandgap of ≈ 1.20 eV for an ideal stoichiometry of CuIn0.7Ga0.3Se2. In the present study, Direct Current (DC) and Pulsed Current (PC) electrodeposition techniques are employed to obtain the near ideal stoichiometric CIGS thin-films on a Mo foil using a two electrode system at a constant potential. Deposited films are annealed at 550 °C under Ar atmosphere. Characterization of the annealed CIGS films is performed using SEM-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemistry to study the morphology, stoichiometry, phase constitution, and the photoelectrochemical response. PC deposition offered suitable manipulation of various parameters, which has helped in obtaining a better quality stoichiometric single phase chalcopyrite structured CIGS thin films with the elimination of unwanted secondary phases like Cu2-xSe. An improved photoelectrochemical performance, characteristic of a p-type semiconductor, is observed for the PC deposited CIGS films. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Nyckelord

Electrodeposition technique

Optical absorption coefficients

Photo-electrochemistry

Photoelectrochemical performance

Photoelectrochemical response

Pulsed electrodeposition

Thin-film technology

Two-electrode systems

Deposition

Electrochemistry

Electrodeposition

Gallium

Semiconducting selenium compounds

Stoichiometry

Thin films

X ray diffraction

X ray spectroscopy

Copper

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