1
|
Mesa F, Chamorro W, Vallejo W, Baier R, Dittrich T, Grimm A, Lux-Steiner MC, Sadewasser S. Junction formation of Cu(3)BiS(3) investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage measurements. Beilstein J Nanotechnol 2012; 3:277-284. [PMID: 22497001 PMCID: PMC3323917 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.3.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 02/21/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the compound semiconductor Cu(3)BiS(3) has been demonstrated to have a band gap of ~1.4 eV, well suited for photovoltaic energy harvesting. The preparation of polycrystalline thin films was successfully realized and now the junction formation to the n-type window needs to be developed. We present an investigation of the Cu(3)BiS(3) absorber layer and the junction formation with CdS, ZnS and In(2)S(3) buffer layers. Kelvin probe force microscopy shows the granular structure of the buffer layers with small grains of 20-100 nm, and a considerably smaller work-function distribution for In(2)S(3) compared to that of CdS and ZnS. For In(2)S(3) and CdS buffer layers the KPFM experiments indicate negatively charged Cu(3)BiS(3) grain boundaries resulting from the deposition of the buffer layer. Macroscopic measurements of the surface photovoltage at variable excitation wavelength indicate the influence of defect states below the band gap on charge separation and a surface-defect passivation by the In(2)S(3) buffer layer. Our findings indicate that Cu(3)BiS(3) may become an interesting absorber material for thin-film solar cells; however, for photovoltaic application the band bending at the charge-selective contact has to be increased.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fredy Mesa
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Física, Cra. 30 No 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia
- Universidad Libre, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Cra. 70 No 53-40, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - William Chamorro
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Química, Cra. 30 No 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - William Vallejo
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de Química, Cra. 30 No 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Robert Baier
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Dittrich
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Grimm
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martha C Lux-Steiner
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sascha Sadewasser
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avda. Mestre José Veiga s/n, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bär M, Ennaoui A, Klaer J, Sáez-Araoz R, Kropp T, Weinhardt L, Heske C, Schock HW, Fischer CH, Lux-Steiner M. The electronic structure of the [Zn(S,O)/ZnS]/CuInS2 heterointerface – Impact of post-annealing. Chem Phys Lett 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2006.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|