CIGS cells for micro-concentrator PV gadgets

• Scientists have created a brand-new mini CIGS cell by using an area-selective electro-deposition procedure as a material-saving method. It has a conversion performance rate of 5.2% and a high open-circuit voltage.

Scientists from the University of Luxembourg and Portugal's International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory have developed a new copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide (CIGS) mini solar cell for applications in micro-concentrator photovoltaic or pv (CPV) devices.

They explained their searchings for in "Micro-sized thin-film solar cells using area-selective electrochemical deposition for concentrator photovoltaics application," which was recently released in Scientific Reports. The cell is based on copper-poor micro-absorber layers created with selenium reactive annealing.

The scientists chose to deposit all the semiconductor components in two steps, instead of at the same time, as in normal processes. "This method of reactive annealing of electro-deposited metal stacks currently brought about a PCE of 17.3% for big area CIGS," they claimed, including that their objective was to attain such performance levels in a mini style.

The copper layer was electro-deposited from an aqueous remedy, while those of indium as well as gallium were deposited from an ionic fluid onto a silicon layer, in addition to a molybdenum back call. Through this process, the researchers hoped to decrease the visibility of CIGS in the cell to a minimum.

They contrasted the efficiency of a tool with an absorber thickness of about 0.5 µm with that of a cell with absorber density of around 1.5 µm.

"The thicker device revealed an open-circuit voltage of 525 mV under 18 × focus, which is the highest reported value for any product efficient bottom-up deposition strategy for CIGS," the study group stated.

They attributed the reduced open-circuit voltage of the thinner cell to a shunt resistance that was four times lower than the thickest absorber layer device.

The brand-new mini CIGS cell is stated to have a 5.2% conversion efficiency rate at a concentration aspect of 33 ×. The scientists declared that this plainly shows the capacity of area-selective electrodeposition as a material-saving technique for the prep work of micro-concentrator solar cells.