THIN FILMS OF COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES.

Project Information

Grant agreement ID: EN3S0071

Start date 1 April 1986

End date 31 March 1989

Funded under

• Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of Non-Nuclear Energy, 1985-1988

Total cost € 0,00

EU contribution € 0,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHUMBRIA AT NEWCASTLE.
United Kingdom

Objective

THE OVERALL AIM OF THE CUINSE2 PROGRAMME AT THE MOMENT IS IMPROVEMENT, MODIFICATION AND COMMISSIONING OF EQUIPMENT AND ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES.

THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS BASED ON COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE HAVE SHOWN GOOD EFFICIENCIES OF 14% FOR SMALL AREA DEVICES OF APPROXIMATELY 1 CM2. HOWEVER, TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR POWER MODULES, THIS EFFICIENCY MUST BE ACHIEVED ON LARGE AREA SUBSTRATES. SEVERAL METHODS HAVE BEEN TRIED IN ORDER TO GIVE REPRODUCIBILITY AND LARGE AREA COVERAGE BUT PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.
A NEW TECHNIQUE WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO OVERCOME MANY OF THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY OTHER TECHNIQUES HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. THIS TECHNIQUE USES WELL ESTABLISHED VACUUM TECHNOLOGY FOR THE DEPOSITION OF LARGE AREA ELEMENTAL LAYERS. STACKED SANDWICH STRUCTURES ARE THERMALLY EVAPORATED ONTO CORNING GLASS SUBSTRATES AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. EACH STRUCTURE IS ABOUT 0.5 MICRONS THICK AND CONSISTS OF A NINE LAYER SANDWICH OF INDIUM, SELENIUM AND COPPER. THE INDIVIDUAL LAYER THICKNESSES ARE CHOSEN TO GIVE THE REQUIRED STOICHIOMETRY. A THERMAL ANNEAL AT 500 DEGREES CELCIUS FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES IS CARRIED OUT AT 10E-6 TORR. A SOLID STATE REACTION OF THE ELEMENTAL LAYERS TAKES PLACE AND CHALCOPYRITE COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE IS FORMED. BOTH P-TYPE AND N-TYPE MATERIAL CAN BE FORMED DEPENDING ON THE SELENIUM CONTENT AND THE RESISTIVITY CAN BE CONTROLLED OVER THE RANGE 1 TO 10E4 OHM CM BY ADJUSTING THE COPPER/INDIUM RATIO. OPTICAL PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN ASSESSED AND HAVE BEEN FOUND TO YIELD ACCEPTABLE VALUES FOR USE IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS.
THIS NOVEL METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AND PATENTED. (UK PATENT NO.8818460.1 1988)

Fields of science

• natural sciences › chemical sciences › inorganic chemistry › post-transition metals
• engineering and technology › materials engineering › coating and films

Programme(s)

• FP1-ENNONUC 3C - Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of Non-Nuclear Energy, 1985-1988

Topic(s)

Data not available

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHUMBRIA AT NEWCASTLE.

• Address: Ellison place, ellison building ; Newcastle upon tyne ; United Kingdom
• EU contribution: € 0,00