Deposition of Nanocrystalline Tin (IV) Oxide Films on Organic Self-Assembled Monolayers

Nanocrystalline thin films of tin (IV) oxide (cassiterite) have been deposited from aqueous solutions of tin (IV) chloride and hydrochloric acid at 80°C. Substrates were {100} single-crystal silicon wafers, with and without silanol-anchored, sulfonate-terminated organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Using flowing solutions, films with thicknesses of up to 1 μtm have been grown, whereas the thickness of the films from static solutions is limited to about 80 nm. The films were characterized using transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The role of the flow rate and configuration of the deposition chamber is discussed.

Spectroscopic investigation of the deeply buried Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2∕Mo interface in thin-film solar cells

The Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2)Mo interface in thin-film solar cells has been investigated by surface-sensitive photoelectron spectroscopy, bulk-sensitive x-ray emission spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. It is possible to access this deeply buried interface by using a suitable lift-off technique, which allows us to investigate the back side of the absorber layer as well as the front side of the Mo back contact. We find a layer of Mo(S,Se)(2) on the surface of the Mo back contact and a copper-poor stoichiometry at the back side of the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2) absorber. Furthermore, we observe that the Na content at the Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)(2)Mo interface as well as at the inner grain boundaries in the back contact region is significantly lower than at the absorber front surface.