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Micro-sized thin-film solar cells via area-selective electrochemical deposition for concentrator photovoltaics application.

ABSTRACT: Micro-concentrator solar cells enable higher power conversion efficiencies and material savings when compared to large-area non-concentrated solar cells. In this study, we use materials-efficient area-selective electrodeposition of the metallic elements, coupled with selenium reactive annealing, to form Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ semiconductor absorber layers in patterned microelectrode arrays. This process achieves significant material savings of the low-abundance elements. The resulting copper-poor micro-absorber layers' composition and homogeneity depend on the deposition charge, where higher charge leads to greater inhomogeneity in the Cu/In ratio and to a patchy presence of a CuIn₅Se₈ OVC phase. Photovoltaic devices show open-circuit voltages of up to 525 mV under a concentration factor of 18?×, which is larger than other reported Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ micro-solar cells fabricated by materials-efficient methods. Furthermore, a single micro-solar cell device, measured under light concentration, displayed a power conversion efficiency of 5% under a concentration factor of 33?×. These results show the potential of the presented method to assemble micro-concentrator photovoltaic devices, which operate at higher efficiencies while using light concentration.

SUBMITTER: Siopa D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7479101 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Micro-sized thin-film solar cells via area-selective electrochemical deposition for concentrator photovoltaics application.

Siopa Daniel D El Hajraoui Khalil K Tombolato Sara S Babbe Finn F Lomuscio Alberto A Wolter Max H MH Anacleto Pedro P Abderrafi Kamal K Deepak Francis L FL Sadewasser Sascha S Dale Phillip J PJ

Scientific reports 20200908 1

Micro-concentrator solar cells enable higher power conversion efficiencies and material savings when compared to large-area non-concentrated solar cells. In this study, we use materials-efficient area-selective electrodeposition of the metallic elements, coupled with selenium reactive annealing, to form Cu(In,Ga)Se<sub>2</sub> semiconductor absorber layers in patterned microelectrode arrays. This process achieves significant material savings of the low-abundance elements. The resulting copper-po ...[more]

PMID: 32901088

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Project description:This manuscript investigates the efficient synthesis of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) nanoparticles for CZTS thin film solar cell applications with a primary focus on environmental sustainability. Underpinning the investigation is an initial life-cycle assessment (LCA) analysis. This LCA analysis is conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of different synthesis volumes, providing crucial insights into the sustainability of the synthesis process by considering the flows of material and energy associated with the process. Life-cycle assessment results demonstrate that significant reductions to the environmental impact can be made by increasing the synthesis volume of CZTS nanoparticle ink. Using a 5-fold increase in volume can reduce all 11 investigated environmental impacts by up to 35.6%, six of these impacts demonstrating reductions >10% and the amount of global warming potential is reduced by 21.4%. Motivated by the LCA results, COMSOL simulations are employed to understand the fluid flow patterns in large-scale fabrication. Various sizes and speeds of stirrer bars are investigated in these simulations, and it is determined that a 50 mm stir bar at 200 rpm represents the optimal configuration for the synthesis process in a 500 mL flask. Subsequently, large-batch CZTS nanoparticle inks are synthesized using these parameters and compared to small-batch samples. The light absorbers are characterized using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, confirming favorable properties with close-to-ideal elemental ratios in large-batch synthesis. Finally, solar cell devices fabricated utilizing CZTSSe absorbers from the large volume synthesis process demonstrate comparable performance to those fabricated using small-batch synthesis, with uniform power conversion efficiencies of around 5% across the substrate. This study highlights the potential of large-volume CZTS nanoparticle synthesis for efficient and environmentally friendly CZTS solar cell fabrication, contributing to the advancement of sustainable renewable energy technologies.

Dataset Information

Micro-sized thin-film solar cells via area-selective electrochemical deposition for concentrator photovoltaics application.

Publications

Micro-sized thin-film solar cells via area-selective electrochemical deposition for concentrator photovoltaics application.

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