Sputter deposited transition metal nitrides as back electrode for CIGS solar cells

Transition metal nitrides such as TiN and ZrN have a potential use as back electrodes in Cu(In,Ga)S2 or Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. Important properties of the back electrode are its conductivity, reflection at higher wavelengths, mechanical and chemical stability, and its barrier properties for impur...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Solar energy 2011-03, Vol.85 (3), p.538-544
Main Authors: Mahieu, S., Leroy, W.P., Van Aeken, K., Wolter, M., Colaux, J., Lucas, S., Abadias, G., Matthys, P., Depla, D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Back contact of solar cell
CIGS
Conductivity
COPPER INDIUM SELENIDE
COPPER SELENIDE
Density
Diffusion
Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation
Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering
Electrical power engineering
Electrodes
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
FLUXES
Materials
Natural energy
Nitrides
Optical properties
Optical reflection
Photoelectric conversion
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaic conversion
Simulation
Solar cells
Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells
Solar energy
Spectrum analysis
SPUTTERING
THIN FILMS
Titanium nitride
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Transition metal nitrides such as TiN and ZrN have a potential use as back electrodes in Cu(In,Ga)S2 or Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells. Important properties of the back electrode are its conductivity, reflection at higher wavelengths, mechanical and chemical stability, and its barrier properties for impurity diffusion when metal foils are used as flexible substrate for the solar cells. Here, TiN thin films were deposited with reactive magnetron sputtering and were characterized with Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, X-ray reflection, ellipsometry and UV–Vis–NIR optical spectroscopy. The resulting thin film density and optical reflection were characterized and compared to the particle fluxes towards the substrate. Therefore, the total momentum flux, total energy flux and momentum flux of target species towards the growing film were measured or simulated. A distinct relation between the density and optical reflection of the TiN films and the momentum flux of target species towards the substrate is shown.
ISSN:0038-092X
1471-1257
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2010.12.021