Publication
Title
Effect of binder content in Cu-In-Se precursor ink on the physical and electrical properties of printed solar cells
Author
Abstract
Printed chalcopyrite thin films have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their potential in the high-throughput production of photovoltaic devices. To improve the homogeneity of printed CuInSe2 (CISe) layers, chemical additives such as binder can be added to the precursor ink. In this contribution, we investigate the influence of the dicyandiamide (DCDA) content, used as a binder in the precursor ink, on the physical and electrical properties of printed CISe solar cells. It is shown that the use of the binder leads to a dense absorber, composed of large CISe grains close to the surface, while the bulk of the layer consists of CISe crystallites embedded in a CuxS particle based matrix, resulting from the limited sintering of the precursor in this region. The expected additional carbon contamination of the CISe layer due to the addition of the binder appears to be limited, and the optical properties of the CISe layer are similar to the reference sample without additive. The electrical characterization of the corresponding CISe/CdS solar cells shows a degradation of the efficiency of the devices, due to a modification in the predominant recombination mechanisms and a limitation of the space charge region width when using the binder; both effects could be explained by the inhomogeneity of the bulk of the CISe absorber and high defect density at the CISe/CuxS-based matrix interface.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The journal of physical chemistry: C : nanomaterials and interfaces. - Washington, D.C., 2007, currens
Publication
Washington, D.C. : 2014
ISSN
1932-7447 [print]
1932-7455 [online]
DOI
10.1021/JP507209H
Volume/pages
118 :47 (2014) , p. 27201-27209
ISI
000345722400003
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
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Research group
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Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
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Creation 16.12.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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