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Electroluminescence from Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-film Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Thomas Kirchartz ,
Julian Mattheis  and
Uwe Rau
Thomas Kirchartz
Affiliation:
thomas.kirchartz@ipe.uni-stuttgart.de, University of Stuttgart, Institut for Physical Electronics, Pfaffenwaldring 47, Stuttgart, 70569, Germany
Julian Mattheis
Affiliation:
j.mattheis@q-cells.com, Q-Cells AG, Guardianstraße 16, Thalheim, 06766, Germany
Uwe Rau
Affiliation:
u.rau@fz-juelich.de, Forschungszentrum Jülich, IEF-5, Photovoltaik, Jülich, 52428, Germany
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Abstract

We compare the electroluminescence (EL) of three polycrystalline ZnO/CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se2 heterojunction solar cells with similar bandgaps but different open circuit voltages, indicating a difference in the electronic quality of the absorber. Temperature dependent electroluminescence measurements reveal that all cells feature transitions from donor-acceptor pair recombination at lower temperatures to band to band recombination at higher temperatures. However, the less efficient cells show a longer transition range with donor-acceptor pair recombination still apparent at room temperature. The thus broadened room temperature luminescence is one effect which reduces the open circuit voltage of the devices below the Shockley-Queisser-limit. The other effect is the existence of non-radiative recombination currents, which determine the efficiency of the device as light emitting diode. To quantify the open circuit voltage losses, we use reciprocity relations between electroluminescent and photovoltaic action of solar cells, which allow us to predict the light emitting diode efficiency. Measurements support the theory and show that Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells reach external LED efficiencies approaching.

Keywords

luminescenceCuIn
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1012: Symposium Y – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics-2007 , 2007 , 1012-Y03-08
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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