Study on Thermal Evolution of the CuSe Phase in Nanoparticle-Based Absorber Layers for Solution-Processed Chalcopyrite Photovoltaic Devices

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces Vol. 5; no. 15; pp. 6930 - 6936
• Main Authors: Seo, Yeong-Hui, Lee, Byung-Seok, Jo, Yejin, Kim, Han-Gyeol, Woo, Kyoohee, Moon, Jooho, Choi, Youngmin, Ryu, Beyong-Hwan, Jeong, Sunho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 14.08.2013
• Subjects: nanoparticle; absorber; solution-processed; CuSe; photovoltaic device; chalcopyrite
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/am401735a

Nanoparticle-based, solution-processed chalcopyrite photovoltaic devices have drawn tremendous attraction for the realization of low-cost, large-area solar cell applications. In particular, it has been recently demonstrated that the CuSe phase plays a critical role in allowing the formation of device-quality, nanoparticle-based chalcopyrite absorber layers. For further in-depth study, with the aim of understanding the thermal behavior of the CuSe phase that triggers the vigorous densification reaction, a requisite for high-performance chalcopyrite absorber layers, both multiphase (CuSe-phase including) and single-phase (CuSe-phase free) CISe nanoparticles are investigated from the viewpoint of compositional variation and crystalline structural evolution. In addition, with CuSe-phase including CISe particulate layers, the basic restrictions in thermal treatment necessary for activating effectively the CuSe-phase induced densification reaction are suggested, in conjunction with consideration on the thermal decomposition of organic additives that are inevitably incorporated in nanoparticle-based absorber layers.