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Composition Control in the Deposition of Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

William Shafarman
Affiliation:
wns@udel.edu, University of Delaware, Institute of Energy Conversin, 451 Wyoming Rd., Newark, DE, 19716, United States, 302 831-6215
Gregory Hanket
Affiliation:
hanket@UDel.Edu, University of Delaware, Institute of Energy Conversion, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
Shiro Nishiwaki
Affiliation:
snis@UDel.Edu, University of Delaware, Institute of Energy Conversion, Newark, DE, 19716, United States
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Abstract

The pentenary chalcopyrite compound Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 provides several potential advantages over Cu(InGa)Se2 as the absorber layer in thin film solar cells, especially with wide bandgap alloys. The effects of S addition to the quaternary alloy are investigated with films deposited by elemental thermal co-evaporation and by the reaction of metallic precursors in hydride gases. With co-evaporated films the addition of S complicates the control of composition through the film. The incorporation of the chalcogen species Se and S depend on the relative Cu in the film and, for films with excess Cu, on the relative group III composition. For the precursor reaction process the addition of S by the inclusion of H2S gas in the reaction enables control of the relative Ga concentration and bandgap of the film. With both processes the incorporation of S during deposition also effects the morphology and grain size. The co-evaporated films have smaller grains with S while the reacted films have larger grains which may be due to the higher TSS the S reaction enables.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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