Achieving 14.4% Alcohol-Based Solution-Processed Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Thin Film Solar Cell through Interface Engineering

An optimization of band alignment at the p–n junction interface is realized on alcohol-based solution-processed Cu­(In,Ga)­(S,Se)2 (CIGS) thin film solar cells, achieving a power-conversion-efficiency (PCE) of 14.4%. To obtain a CIGS thin film suitable for interface engineering, we designed a novel “3-step chalcogenization process” for Cu2–x Se-derived grain growth and a double band gap grading structure. Considering S-rich surface of the CIGS thin film, an alternative ternary (Cd,Zn)S buffer layer is adopted to build favorable “spike” type conduction band alignment instead of “cliff” type. Suppression of interface recombination is elucidated by comparing recombination activation energies using a dark J–V–T analysis.