ZnMgO Thin Films by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis: Modulation of Optical and Electrical Properties by Post‐annealing and Magnesium Composition

ZnMgO semiconductor is of major interest in sustainable thin‐film solar cells in order to replace buffer layers based on nonabundant or toxic elements. In addition, it has the potential 1) to allow optimal band alignment with absorbers such as CIGS, CZTS, and Cu 2 O; 2) to have high transparency; 3)...

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Published inPhysica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 221; no. 14
Main Authors El Berjali, Wafae, Ould Saad Hamady, Sidi, Boulet, Pascal, Colas, Victor, Gries, Thomas, Horwat, David, Pierson, Jean‐François
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2024
Wiley
Subjects
Annealing
Buffer layers
Carrier density
Copper indium gallium selenides
Crystallites
Electrical properties
Hall effect
Magnesium
Material properties
Optical properties
Orientation effects
Photovoltaic cells
Physics
Preferred orientation
Solar cells
Spray pyrolysis
Thin films
buffer layers
ultrasonic spray pyrolysis
post-annealing
magnesium zinc oxides
sustainable solar cells
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Summary:ZnMgO semiconductor is of major interest in sustainable thin‐film solar cells in order to replace buffer layers based on nonabundant or toxic elements. In addition, it has the potential 1) to allow optimal band alignment with absorbers such as CIGS, CZTS, and Cu 2 O; 2) to have high transparency; 3) to have adjustable properties for use as a window or buffer layer; and 4) to be deposited using low‐cost and energy‐efficient techniques such as ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. This study focuses on modulating ZnMgO properties with the optimization of the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and post‐annealing parameters. Optical transmission, X‐ray diffraction, and van der Pauw/Hall effect measurements are used to study the material properties. Thin films with a strong preferred orientation are obtained with large crystallite size (42–80 nm), high transparency (>90%), a bandgap increase from 3.28 to 3.34 eV with magnesium composition and annealing, an optimal Urbach energy of 0.068 eV, and electrical properties modulated by magnesium composition and annealing with resistivity varying from 6.520 Ωcm down to 0.022 Ωcm and a carrier concentration from 4.8 × 10 17 up to 1.4 × 10 20 cm −3 .
ISSN:1862-6300
1862-6319
DOI:10.1002/pssa.202400015