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Nanometer-scale electronic and microstructural properties of grain boundaries in Cu(In,Ga)Se2

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Title:	Nanometer-scale electronic and microstructural properties of grain boundaries in Cu(In,Ga)Se2
Authors:	Sadewasser, S.¹ sadewasser@helmholtz-berlin.de, Abou-Ras, D.¹, Azulay, D.², Baier, R.¹, Balberg, I.², Cahen, D.³, Cohen, S.³, Gartsman, K.³, Ganesan, K.³, Kavalakkatt, J.¹, Li, W.³, Millo, O.², Rissom, Th.¹, Rosenwaks, Y.⁴, Schock, H.-W.¹, Schwarzman, A.⁴, Unold, T.¹
Source:	Thin Solid Films. Aug2011, Vol. 519 Issue 21, p7341-7346. 6p.
Subjects:	Electronic structure, Microstructure, Crystal grain boundaries, Electron backscattering, Atomic force microscopy, Temperature effect, Chalcopyrite crystals, Solar cells, Thin films, Selenides
Abstract:	Abstract: Despite many recent research efforts, the influence of grain boundaries (GBs) on device properties of CuIn1−xGaxSe2 solar cells is still not fully understood Here, we present a microscopic approach to characterizing GBs in polycrystalline CuIn1−xGaxSe2 films with x=0.33. On samples from the same deposition process we applied methods giving complementary information, i.e., electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), electron-beam induced current measurements (EBIC), conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), variable-temperature Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). By combining EBIC with EBSD, we find a decrease in charge-carrier collection for non-∑3 GBs, while ∑3 GBs exhibit no variation with respect to grain interiors. In contrast, a higher conductance of GBs compared to grain interiors was found by c-AFM at low bias and under illumination. By KPFM, we directly measured the band bending at GBs, finding a variation from −80 up to +115mV. Depletion and even inversion at GBs was confirmed by SCM. We comparatively discuss the apparent differences between the results obtained by various microscopic techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
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Database:	Engineering Source

Description
Abstract:	Abstract: Despite many recent research efforts, the influence of grain boundaries (GBs) on device properties of CuIn1−xGaxSe2 solar cells is still not fully understood Here, we present a microscopic approach to characterizing GBs in polycrystalline CuIn1−xGaxSe2 films with x=0.33. On samples from the same deposition process we applied methods giving complementary information, i.e., electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), electron-beam induced current measurements (EBIC), conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), variable-temperature Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). By combining EBIC with EBSD, we find a decrease in charge-carrier collection for non-∑3 GBs, while ∑3 GBs exhibit no variation with respect to grain interiors. In contrast, a higher conductance of GBs compared to grain interiors was found by c-AFM at low bias and under illumination. By KPFM, we directly measured the band bending at GBs, finding a variation from −80 up to +115mV. Depletion and even inversion at GBs was confirmed by SCM. We comparatively discuss the apparent differences between the results obtained by various microscopic techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
ISSN:	00406090
DOI:	10.1016/j.tsf.2010.12.227