Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology
High quality polycrystalline bilayers of aluminium doped ZnO (Al:ZnO) were successively electrodeposited in the form of columnar structures preferentially oriented along the ( 10 1 ¯ 1 ) crystallographic direction from aqueous solution of zinc nitrate (Zn(NO3)2) at negative electrochem...
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MDPI AG
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/951 |
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| author | Dimitra N. Papadimitriou Georgios Roupakas Georgios G. Roumeliotis Patrick Vogt Tristan Köhler |
| author_facet | Dimitra N. Papadimitriou Georgios Roupakas Georgios G. Roumeliotis Patrick Vogt Tristan Köhler |
| author_sort | Dimitra N. Papadimitriou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High quality polycrystalline bilayers of aluminium doped ZnO (Al:ZnO) were successively electrodeposited in the form of columnar structures preferentially oriented along the ( 10 1 ¯ 1 ) crystallographic direction from aqueous solution of zinc nitrate (Zn(NO3)2) at negative electrochemical potential of EC = (−0.8)–(−1.2) V and moderate temperature of 80 °C on gallium rich (30% Ga) chalcopyrite selenide Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) with chemically deposited ZnSe buffer (ZnSe/Cu(In,Ga)Se2/Mo/glass). The aluminium doped ZnO layer properties have initially been probed by deposition of Al:ZnO/i-ZnO bilayers directly on Mo/glass substrates. The band-gap energy of the Al:ZnO/i-ZnO reference layers was found to vary from 3.2 to 3.7 eV by varying the AlCl3 solute dopant concentration from 1 to 20 mM. The electrical resistivity of indium-pellet contacted highly doped Al:ZnO sheet of In/Al:ZnO/i-ZnO/Mo/glass reference samples was of the order ρ ~10−5 Ω·cm; the respective carrier concentration of the order 1022 cm−3 is commensurate with that of sputtered Al:ZnO layers. For crystal quality optimization of the bilayers by maintenance of the volatile selenium content of the chalcopyrite, they were subjected to 2-step annealing under successive temperature raise and N2 flux regulation. The hydrostatic compressive strain due to Al3+ incorporation in the ZnO lattice of bilayers processed successively with 5 and 12 mM AlCl3 dopant was εh = −0.046 and the respective stress σh = −20 GPa. The surface reflectivity of maximum 5% over the scanned region of 180–900 nm and the (optical) band gap of Eg = 3.67 eV were indicative of the high optical quality of the electrochemically deposited (ECD) Al:ZnO bilayers. |
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| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:37:22Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
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| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-31a0829c147d4010baa67019341f70b32022-12-22T04:21:26ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732016-11-0191195110.3390/en9110951en9110951Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device TechnologyDimitra N. Papadimitriou0Georgios Roupakas1Georgios G. Roumeliotis2Patrick Vogt3Tristan Köhler4National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, GR-15780 Athens, GreeceNational Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, GR-15780 Athens, GreeceNational Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechniou 9, GR-15780 Athens, GreeceTechnische Universität Berlin, Institut für Festkörperphysik, Hardenbergstr. 36, DE-10623 Berlin, GermanyHelmholtz Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Institut für Heterogene Materialsysteme, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, DE-14109 Berlin, GermanyHigh quality polycrystalline bilayers of aluminium doped ZnO (Al:ZnO) were successively electrodeposited in the form of columnar structures preferentially oriented along the ( 10 1 ¯ 1 ) crystallographic direction from aqueous solution of zinc nitrate (Zn(NO3)2) at negative electrochemical potential of EC = (−0.8)–(−1.2) V and moderate temperature of 80 °C on gallium rich (30% Ga) chalcopyrite selenide Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) with chemically deposited ZnSe buffer (ZnSe/Cu(In,Ga)Se2/Mo/glass). The aluminium doped ZnO layer properties have initially been probed by deposition of Al:ZnO/i-ZnO bilayers directly on Mo/glass substrates. The band-gap energy of the Al:ZnO/i-ZnO reference layers was found to vary from 3.2 to 3.7 eV by varying the AlCl3 solute dopant concentration from 1 to 20 mM. The electrical resistivity of indium-pellet contacted highly doped Al:ZnO sheet of In/Al:ZnO/i-ZnO/Mo/glass reference samples was of the order ρ ~10−5 Ω·cm; the respective carrier concentration of the order 1022 cm−3 is commensurate with that of sputtered Al:ZnO layers. For crystal quality optimization of the bilayers by maintenance of the volatile selenium content of the chalcopyrite, they were subjected to 2-step annealing under successive temperature raise and N2 flux regulation. The hydrostatic compressive strain due to Al3+ incorporation in the ZnO lattice of bilayers processed successively with 5 and 12 mM AlCl3 dopant was εh = −0.046 and the respective stress σh = −20 GPa. The surface reflectivity of maximum 5% over the scanned region of 180–900 nm and the (optical) band gap of Eg = 3.67 eV were indicative of the high optical quality of the electrochemically deposited (ECD) Al:ZnO bilayers.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/951CIGS photovoltaicsoriented Al:ZnO bilayersECD process optimizationannealing T-thresholdX-ray diffractionscanning electron microscopytransmittance/reflectance spectroscopycurrent-voltage measurementsvan der Pauw measurement techniques |
| spellingShingle | Dimitra N. Papadimitriou Georgios Roupakas Georgios G. Roumeliotis Patrick Vogt Tristan Köhler Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology Energies CIGS photovoltaics oriented Al:ZnO bilayers ECD process optimization annealing T-threshold X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy transmittance/reflectance spectroscopy current-voltage measurements van der Pauw measurement techniques |
| title | Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology |
| title_full | Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology |
| title_short | Optimization of Electrochemically Deposited Highly Doped ZnO Bilayers on Ga-Rich Chalcopyrite Selenide for Cost-Effective Photovoltaic Device Technology |
| title_sort | optimization of electrochemically deposited highly doped zno bilayers on ga rich chalcopyrite selenide for cost effective photovoltaic device technology |
| topic | CIGS photovoltaics oriented Al:ZnO bilayers ECD process optimization annealing T-threshold X-ray diffraction scanning electron microscopy transmittance/reflectance spectroscopy current-voltage measurements van der Pauw measurement techniques |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/9/11/951 |
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