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Bienz S, Spaggiari G, Calestani D, Trevisi G, Bersani D, Zenobi R, Kumar N. Nanoscale Chemical Analysis of Thin Film Solar Cell Interfaces Using Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:14704-14711. [PMID: 38494603 PMCID: PMC10982994 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c17115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Interfacial regions play a key role in determining the overall power conversion efficiency of thin film solar cells. However, the nanoscale investigation of thin film interfaces using conventional analytical tools is challenging due to a lack of required sensitivity and spatial resolution. Here, we surmount these obstacles using tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and apply it to investigate the absorber (Sb2Se3) and buffer (CdS) layers interface in a Sb2Se3-based thin film solar cell. Hyperspectral TERS imaging with 10 nm spatial resolution reveals that the investigated interface between the absorber and buffer layers is far from uniform, as TERS analysis detects an intermixing of chemical compounds instead of a sharp demarcation between the CdS and Sb2Se3 layers. Intriguingly, this interface, comprising both Sb2Se3 and CdS compounds, exhibits an unexpectedly large thickness of 295 ± 70 nm attributable to the roughness of the Sb2Se3 layer. Furthermore, TERS measurements provide compelling evidence of CdS penetration into the Sb2Se3 layer, likely resulting from unwanted reactions on the absorber surface during chemical bath deposition. Notably, the coexistence of ZnO, which serves as the uppermost conducting layer, and CdS within the Sb2Se3-rich region has been experimentally confirmed for the first time. This study underscores TERS as a promising nanoscale technique to investigate thin film inorganic solar cell interfaces, offering novel insights into intricate interface structures and compound intermixing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siiri Bienz
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH
Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Spaggiari
- Department
of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, I-43124 Parma, Italy
- Institute
of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism, National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, I-43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Davide Calestani
- Institute
of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism, National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, I-43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Giovanna Trevisi
- Institute
of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism, National Research Council, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, I-43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Danilo Bersani
- Department
of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, I-43124 Parma, Italy
| | - Renato Zenobi
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH
Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Naresh Kumar
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH
Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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2
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Mezher M, Garris R, Mansfield LM, Blum M, Hauschild D, Horsley K, Duncan DA, Yang W, Bär M, Weinhardt L, Ramanathan K, Heske C. Soft X-ray Spectroscopy of a Complex Heterojunction in High-Efficiency Thin-Film Photovoltaics: Intermixing and Zn Speciation at the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Interface. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2016; 8:33256-33263. [PMID: 27934158 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b09245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The chemical structure of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface in high-efficiency photovoltaic devices is investigated using X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy, as well as soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. We find that the Ga/(Ga+In) ratio at the absorber surface does not change with the formation of the Zn(O,S)/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 interface. Furthermore, we find evidence for Zn in multiple bonding environments, including ZnS, ZnO, Zn(OH)2, and ZnSe. We also observe dehydrogenation of the Zn(O,S) buffer layer after Ar+ ion treatment. Similar to high-efficiency CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 devices, intermixing occurs at the interface, with diffusion of Se into the buffer, and the formation of S-In and/or S-Ga bonds at or close to the interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Mezher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
| | - Rebekah Garris
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Lorelle M Mansfield
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Monika Blum
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
| | - Dirk Hauschild
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kimberly Horsley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
| | - Douglas A Duncan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
| | - Wanli Yang
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Marcus Bär
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
- Renewable Energy, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , 14109 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Physik und Chemie, Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg , 03046 Cottbus, Germany
| | - Lothar Weinhardt
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Kannan Ramanathan
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) , Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Clemens Heske
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) , Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4003, United States
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Institute for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
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3
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Chen C, Cheng S, Zhang H, Zhou H, Jia H. Influence of oxidization temperature on Zn(O,S) films deposited by electron beam evaporation. CRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/crat.201600023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, and Institute of Micro-Nano Devices & Solar Cells; Fuzhou University; Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China
| | - Shuying Cheng
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, and Institute of Micro-Nano Devices & Solar Cells; Fuzhou University; Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovolatic Science and Engineering; Changzhou 213164 P.R. China
| | - Hong Zhang
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, and Institute of Micro-Nano Devices & Solar Cells; Fuzhou University; Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovolatic Science and Engineering; Changzhou 213164 P.R. China
| | - Haifang Zhou
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, and Institute of Micro-Nano Devices & Solar Cells; Fuzhou University; Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovolatic Science and Engineering; Changzhou 213164 P.R. China
| | - Hongjie Jia
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, and Institute of Micro-Nano Devices & Solar Cells; Fuzhou University; Fuzhou 350108 P.R. China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Photovolatic Science and Engineering; Changzhou 213164 P.R. China
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4
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Guc M, Neuschitzer M, Hariskos D, Bauer A, Witte W, Hempel W, Calvo-Barrio L, Pistor P, Perez-Rodriguez A, Izquierdo-Roca V. Raman scattering quantitative assessment of the anion composition ratio in Zn(O,S) layers for Cd-free chalcogenide-based solar cells. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra26261e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This work reports the use of Raman scattering for the chemical characterization of Zn(O,S) layers that are being developed as a Cd-free alternative for the buffer layer in advanced chalcogenide solar cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Guc
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)
- Barcelona
- Spain
| | - M. Neuschitzer
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)
- Barcelona
- Spain
| | - D. Hariskos
- Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
- Stuttgart
- Germany
| | - A. Bauer
- Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
- Stuttgart
- Germany
| | - W. Witte
- Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
- Stuttgart
- Germany
| | - W. Hempel
- Zentrum für Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
- Stuttgart
- Germany
| | - L. Calvo-Barrio
- Centres Científics i Tecnològics CCiTUB
- Universitat de Barcelona
- 08028 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - P. Pistor
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)
- Barcelona
- Spain
| | - A. Perez-Rodriguez
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)
- Barcelona
- Spain
- IN2UB
- Departament d'Electrònica
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