The effect of damp heat-illumination exposure on CIGS solar cells: A combined XRD and electrical characterization study

Mirjam Theelen; Ruud Hendrikx; Nicolas Barreau; Henk Steijvers; A.J. Bottger

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2016.07.051

The effect of damp heat-illumination exposure on CIGS solar cells: A combined XRD and electrical characterization study

Mirjam Theelen^*, Ruud Hendrikx, Nicolas Barreau, Henk Steijvers, A.J. Bottger

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Unencapsulated CIGS solar cells were simultaneously exposed to damp heat and illumination. In-situ monitoring of their electrical parameters demonstrated a rapid decrease of the efficiency, mainly driven by changes in the series and shunt resistances. The non-degraded and degraded solar cells were studied by SIMS and XRD to investigate the material changes leading to efficiency loss. SIMS showed the migration of sodium and potassium, likely leading to changes in the shunt resistance and output voltage. Extensive XRD measurements showed that molybdenum oxide was formed and that the in-plane stress in the ZnO:Al film increased. The stress increase is most likely due to the incorporation of species like hydroxide in the grain boundaries. These phenomena could lead to the observed increased series resistance in the solar cells.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	943-952
Journal	Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells
Volume	157
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2016.07.051
Publication status	Published - 2016

Keywords

CIGS
Damp heat
Degradation
In-situ monitoring
Molybdenum
Solar cells
X-ray diffraction
Zinc oxide

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.solmat.2016.07.051

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title = "The effect of damp heat-illumination exposure on CIGS solar cells: A combined XRD and electrical characterization study",

abstract = "Unencapsulated CIGS solar cells were simultaneously exposed to damp heat and illumination. In-situ monitoring of their electrical parameters demonstrated a rapid decrease of the efficiency, mainly driven by changes in the series and shunt resistances. The non-degraded and degraded solar cells were studied by SIMS and XRD to investigate the material changes leading to efficiency loss. SIMS showed the migration of sodium and potassium, likely leading to changes in the shunt resistance and output voltage. Extensive XRD measurements showed that molybdenum oxide was formed and that the in-plane stress in the ZnO:Al film increased. The stress increase is most likely due to the incorporation of species like hydroxide in the grain boundaries. These phenomena could lead to the observed increased series resistance in the solar cells.",

keywords = "CIGS, Damp heat, Degradation, In-situ monitoring, Molybdenum, Solar cells, X-ray diffraction, Zinc oxide",

author = "Mirjam Theelen and Ruud Hendrikx and Nicolas Barreau and Henk Steijvers and A.J. Bottger",

year = "2016",

doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2016.07.051",

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journal = "Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells",

issn = "0927-0248",

publisher = "North-Holland",

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T1 - The effect of damp heat-illumination exposure on CIGS solar cells

T2 - A combined XRD and electrical characterization study

AU - Theelen, Mirjam

AU - Hendrikx, Ruud

AU - Barreau, Nicolas

AU - Steijvers, Henk

AU - Bottger, A.J.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Unencapsulated CIGS solar cells were simultaneously exposed to damp heat and illumination. In-situ monitoring of their electrical parameters demonstrated a rapid decrease of the efficiency, mainly driven by changes in the series and shunt resistances. The non-degraded and degraded solar cells were studied by SIMS and XRD to investigate the material changes leading to efficiency loss. SIMS showed the migration of sodium and potassium, likely leading to changes in the shunt resistance and output voltage. Extensive XRD measurements showed that molybdenum oxide was formed and that the in-plane stress in the ZnO:Al film increased. The stress increase is most likely due to the incorporation of species like hydroxide in the grain boundaries. These phenomena could lead to the observed increased series resistance in the solar cells.

AB - Unencapsulated CIGS solar cells were simultaneously exposed to damp heat and illumination. In-situ monitoring of their electrical parameters demonstrated a rapid decrease of the efficiency, mainly driven by changes in the series and shunt resistances. The non-degraded and degraded solar cells were studied by SIMS and XRD to investigate the material changes leading to efficiency loss. SIMS showed the migration of sodium and potassium, likely leading to changes in the shunt resistance and output voltage. Extensive XRD measurements showed that molybdenum oxide was formed and that the in-plane stress in the ZnO:Al film increased. The stress increase is most likely due to the incorporation of species like hydroxide in the grain boundaries. These phenomena could lead to the observed increased series resistance in the solar cells.

KW - CIGS

KW - Damp heat

KW - Degradation

KW - In-situ monitoring

KW - Molybdenum

KW - Solar cells

KW - X-ray diffraction

KW - Zinc oxide

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SN - 0927-0248

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JO - Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells

ER -

The effect of damp heat-illumination exposure on CIGS solar cells: A combined XRD and electrical characterization study

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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