• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.550-555
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• 2011

A high-quality CIGS film with a selenization process needs to be developed for low-cost and large-scale production. In this study, we used $Cu_2In_3$, CuGa and $Cu_2Se$ sputter targets for the deposition of a precursor. The precursor deposited by sputtering was selenized in Se vapor. The precursor layer deposited by the co-sputtering of $Cu_2In_3$, CuGa and $Cu_2Se$ showed a uniform distribution of Cu, In, Ga, and Se throughout the layer with Cu, In, CuIn, CuGa and $Cu_2Se$ phases. After selenization at $550^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, the CIGS film showed a double-layer microstructure with a large-grained top layer and a small-grained bottom layer. In the AES depth profile, In was found to have accumulated near the surface while Cu had accumulated in the middle of the CIGS film. By adding a Cu-In-Ga interlayer between the co-sputtered precursor layer and the Mo film and adding a thin $Cu_2Se$ layer onto the co-sputtered precursor layer, large CIGS grains throughout the film were produced. However, the Cu accumulated in the middle of CIGS film in this case as well. By supplying In, Ga and Se to the CIGS film, a uniform distribution of Cu, In, Ga and Se was achieved in the middle of the CIGS film.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.434-438
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• 2010

The selenization process has been a promising method for low-cost and large-scale production of high quality CIGS film. However, there is the problem that most Ga in the CIGS film segregates near the Mo back contact. So the solar cell behaves like a $CuInSe_2$ and lacks the increased open-circuit voltage. In this study we investigated the Ga distribution in CIGS films by using the $Ga_2Se_3$ layer. The $Ga_2Se_3$ layer was applied on the Cu-In-Ga metal layer to increase Ga content at the surface of CIGS films and to restrict Ga diffusion to the CIGS/Mo interface with Ga and Se bonding. The layer made by thermal evaporation was showed to an amorphous $Ga_2Se_3$ layer in the result of AES depth profile, XPS and XRD measurement. As the thickness of $Ga_2Se_3$ layer increased, a small-grained CIGS film was developed and phase seperation was showed using SEM and XRD respectively. Ga distributions in CIGS films were investigated by means of AES depth profile. As a result, the [Ga]/[In+Ga] ratio was 0.2 at the surface and 0.5 near the CIGS/Mo interface when the $Ga_2Se_3$ thickness was 220 nm, suggesting that the $Ga_2Se_3$ layer on the top of metal layer is one of the possible methods for Ga redistribution and open circuit voltage increase.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.779-782
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• 2012

$CuIn_{1-x}Ga_xSe_2$ (CIGS) thin films are grown on Mo/soda lime glass using a reactive sputtering process in which a Se cracker is used to deliver reactive Se molecules. The Cu and $(In_{0.7}Ga_{0.3})_2Se_3$ targets are simultaneously sputtered under the delivery of reactive Se. The effects of Se flux on film composition are investigated. The Cu/(In+Ga) composition ratio increases as the Se flux increases at a plasma power of less than 30 W for the Cu target. The (112) crystal orientation becomes dominant, and crystal grain size is larger with Se flux. The power conversion efficiency of a solar cell fabricated using an 800-nm CIGS film is 8.5%.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2013

$Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ is a candidate material for the top cell of $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ tandem cells. This phase is often found at the surface of the $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ film during $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ cell fabrication, and plays a positive role in $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ cell performance. However, the exact properties of the $Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ film have not been extensively studied yet. In this work, $Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ films were fabricated on Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates by a three-stage co-evaporation process. The Cu content in the film was controlled by varying the deposition time of each stage. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses showed that, even though the stoichiometric Cu/(In+Ga) ratio is 0.25, $Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ is easily formed in a wide range of Cu content as long as the Cu/(In+Ga) ratio is held below 0.5. The optical band gap of $Cu_{0.3}(In_{0.65}Ga_{0.35})_3Se_5$ composition was found to be 1.35eV. As the Cu/(In+Ga) ratio was decreased further below 0.5, the grain size became smaller and the band gap increased. Unlike the $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ solar cell, an external supply of Na with $Na_2S$ deposition further increased the cell efficiency of the $Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ solar cell, indicating that more Na is necessary, in addition to the Na supply from the soda lime glass, to suppress deep level defects in the $Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ film. The cell efficiency of $CdS/Cu(In,Ga)_3Se_5$ was improved from 8.8 to 11.2% by incorporating Na with $Na_2S$ deposition on the CIGS film. The fill factor was significantly improved by the Na incorporation, due to a decrease of deep-level defects.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.2273-2279
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• 2012

This research is based on fabricating Cu(In,Ga)$Se_2$ thin-film by co-evaporation method. On $1^{st}$ - stage, $In_2Se_3$ phase appeared when the substrate temperature reached to $400^{\circ}C$, however, there was small effect between the substrate temperature and absorbency spectrum on $2^{nd}$, $3^{rd}$ - stage because the average thickness of the thin-film was $1{\mu}m$ or higher. SEM and XRD was measured on $2^{nd}$ and $3^{rd}$ stage and it showed as the substrate temperature increases, the density of the crystal structure increased with the decreament of the vacancy. Furthermore, the formation of Cu(In0.7Ga0.3)$Se_2$ phase showed at $480^{\circ}C$ and $500^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.461-467
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• 2011

Cu(In, Ga)$Se_2$ (CIGS) precursor films were electrodeposited on Mo/glass substrates in acidic solutions containing $Cu^{2+}$, $In^{3+}$, $Ga^{3+}$, and $Se^{4+}$ ions at -0.6 V (SCE) and pH. 1.8. In order to induce recrystallization, the electrodeposited $Cu_{1.00}In_{0.81}Ga_{0.09}Se_{2.08}$ (25.0 at.% Cu + 20.2 at.% In + 2.2 at.% Ga + 52.0 at.% Se) precursor films were annealed under a high Se gas atmosphere for 15, 30, 45, and 60 min, respectively, at $500^{\circ}C$. The Se amount in the film increased from 52 at.% to 62 at.%, whereas the In amount in the film decreased from 20.8 at.% to 9.1 at.% as the annealing time increased from 0 (asdeposited state) to 60 min. These results were attributed to the Se introduced from the furnace atmosphere and reacted with the In present in the precursor films, resulting in the formation of the volatile $In_2Se$. CIGS precursor grains with a cauliflower shape grew as larger grains with the $CuSe_2$ and/or $Cu_{2-x}Se$ faceted phases as the annealing times increased. These faceted phases resulted in rough surface morphologies of the CIGS films. Furthermore, the CIGS layers were not dense because the empty spaces between the grains were not removed via annealing. Uniform thicknesses of the $MoSe_2$ layers occurred at the 45 and 60 min annealing time. This implies that there was a stable reaction between the Mo back electrode and the Se diffused through the CIGS film. The results obtained in the present research were sufficiently different from comparable studies where the recrystallization annealing was performed under an atmosphere of Ar gas only or a low Se gas pressure.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

The $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ (CIGS) thin film obtained by two-step process (metal deposition and Se annealing) has a rough surface morphology and many voids at the CIGS/Mo interface. To solve the problem a precursor that contains Se was employer by depositing a (In,Se)/(Cu,Ga) stacked layer. We devised a two-step annealing (vacuum pre-annealing and Se annealing) for the precursor because direct annealing of the precursor in Se environment resulted in the small grains with unwanted demarcation between stacked layers. After vacuum pre-annealing up to $500^{\circ}C$ the CIGS film consisted of CIGS phase and secondary phases including $In_4Se_3$, InSe, and $Cu_9(In,Ga)_4$. The secondary phases were completely converted to CIGS phase by a subsequent Se annealing. A void-free CIGS/Mo interface was obtained by the two-step annealing process. Especially, the CIGS film prepared by vacuum annealing $450^{\circ}C$ and subsequent Se annealing $550^{\circ}C$ showed a densely-packed grains with smooth surface, well-aligned bamboo grains on the top of the film, little voids in the film, and also little voids at the CIGS/Mo interface. The smooth surface enhanced the cell performance due to the increase of shunt resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.888-893
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• 2013

In this paper, we prepared $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$ thin films by using co-evaporation method, and analyzed the properties of the thin films. During the thin film preparation process, we confirmed $InGaSe_2$ phase was formed at $400^{\circ}C$ in first stage, and also confirmed the thin films showed the vacancy decrease. In second and third stage, we confirmed the density increase of crystalline structure at over $480^{\circ}C$ and the formation of $Cu(In_{0.7}Ga_{0.3})Se_2$ phase. As the result of SEM and XRD analysis of the films which were before and after heat-treated, we confirmed the disappearance of $Cu_2Se_2$ and the formation of $Cu(In_{0.7}Ga_{0.3})Se_2$ single phase after the heat-treatment, We, therefore, confirmed the heat-treatment did not affect the absorbency spectra of the thin films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.100-101
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• 2008

To obtain the single crystal thin films, $CuGaSe_2$ mixed crystal was deposited on thoroughly etched semi-insulating GaAs(100) substrate by the hot wall epitaxy (HWE) system. The source and substrate temperatures were $610^{\circ}C$ and $450^{\circ}C$, respectively. After the as-grown $CuGaSe_2$ single crystal thin films was annealed in Cu-, Se-, and Ga-atmospheres, the origin of point defects of $CuGaSe_2$ single crystal thin films has been investigated by the photoluminescence(PL) at 10 K. The native defects of $V_{CU}$, $V_{Se}$, $Cu_{int}$, and $Se_{int}$ obtained by PL measurements were classified as a donors or acceptors type. And we concluded that the heat-treatment in the Cu-atmosphere converted $CuGaSe_2$ single crystal thin films to an optical n-type. Also, we confirmed that Ga in $CuGaSe_2$/GaAs did not form the native defects because Ga in $CuGaSe_2$ single crystal thin films existed in the form of stable bonds.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07c
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• pp.1584-1586
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• 2002

CuIn$Se_2$ (CIS) and related compounds such as Cu($In_xGa_{1-x})Se_2$(CIGS) have been studied by their potential for use in photovoltaic devices. CIS thin film materials which have high absorption coefficient and wide bandgap, have attracted much attention as an alternative to crystalline and amorphous silicon solar cells currently in use. Cu-rich CIGS film have very low resistivity, due to coexistence of the semimetallic $Cu_{2-x}Se$. In-rich CIGS films show high resistivity, since these films are compensated films without the $Cu_{2-x}Se$ phase. Optical properties of the CIGS films also change in accordance with the resistivity for the Cu/(In+Ga) ratio. The Cu-rich films have different spectra from In-rich films in near infrared wavelengths.