Growth and Characterization of Large Area Cu(In, Ga) Se2 Films

Published

May 1, 2001

Author(s)

A M. Hermann, Carlos A. Gonzalez, P A. Ramakrishnan, Davor Balzar, C H. Marshall, J N. Hilfiker, T Tiwald

Abstract

Large area thin films of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) were grown by sequential sputtering. Photovoltaic cells have been fabricated using these films and the performance bias been characterized. The effect of annealing conditions (temperature and duration) of the CIGS film on the device performance has been investigated SEM studies of the films correlate the microstructure of the CIGS films with the solar cell efficiency. Cell efficiencies in excess of 10% have been achieved by using optimized annealing conditions. The optical properties of the CIGS films were characterized using Variable Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (VASE). The Gaussian broadened polynomial superposition (GBPS) parametric relationship is used to describe the optical properties of CIGS films below, above and through the bandgap energy. The present results show that spectroscopic ellipsometry may be used in situ to monitor and optimize film growth conditions and achieve high efficiencies.

Citation

Thin Solid Films

Volume

387

Issue

No. 1-2

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

copper-indium-gallium-selenide, photovoltaic cells, spectroscopic ellipsometry, sputtering thin films

Citation

Hermann, A. , Gonzalez, C. , Ramakrishnan, P. , Balzar, D. , Marshall, C. , Hilfiker, J. and Tiwald, T. (2001), Growth and Characterization of Large Area Cu(In, Ga) Se₂ Films, Thin Solid Films (Accessed October 8, 2025)