Application of Pulsed D.C. Magnetron sputtering deposition for the component layers of CuInSe2 thin film photovoltaic cells

The Pulsed D.C. Magnetron Sputtering (PDMS) process has been investigated for thedeposition of the component layers that are used in the production of copper indiumdiselenide, CuInSe 2 (CIS), thin film solar cells. PDMS can use high plasma densities withlong term arc free operation for the reactive sputtering of dielectric materials and can producefilms with good crystalline properties, even at low substrate temperatures. However, thetechnique has not previously been applied to photovoltaic cell fabrication.Customised powder target PDMS systems have been designed and constructed forthis work. Various operating parameters which affect the film characteristics have beenstudied to allow optimisation of the sputtering process. This low temperature depositiontechnique allows the use of flexible, low melting point substrates and can also reduce thetemperature induced damage to the layers associated with conventional D.C. and R.F.sputtering processes. A typical CIS based cell consists of a molybdenum back contact layer, aCIS absorber layer, a cadmium sulphide buffer layer and a zinc oxide top layer. In this study,toxic cadmium sulphide was replaced by indium sulphide and the top layer employed indiumoxide which could be changed from intrinsic to highly conducting by adjustment of theoxygen flow during sputtering. The deposited layers were characterised using variousanalytical tools such as x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electronmicroscopy, UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry, four point probe etc. Material characterisationresults indicated the suitability of using PDMS to deposit the component layers required inCIS solar cell fabrication.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral (Level 8)

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Karthikeyan, S

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1337087

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1337087