AVS 58th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition
    Energy Frontiers Focus Topic Wednesday Sessions
       Session EN1+TF-WeA

Invited Paper EN1+TF-WeA3
Progress Towards a High-Efficiency Cu-Zn-Sn-S-Se Thin-Film PV Technology

Wednesday, November 2, 2011, 2:40 pm, Room 103

Session: Thin Film Chalcogenide Solar Cells (CIGS, CZTS, CdTe and Related Materials)
Presenter: David Mitzi, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Authors: D.B. Mitzi, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
O. Gunawan, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
T.K. Todorov, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
D.A.R. Barkhouse, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
S. Bag, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
R. Haight, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
T. Gokmen, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
T. Goislard de Monsabert, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
S.J. Chey, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
S. Thiruvengadam, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Correspondent: Click to Email
A key criteria for achieving terawatt-compatible photovoltaic (PV) technology is the ability to fabricate high power conversion efficiency (>10%) solar cells using a low-cost process (< $1/watt) and readily available, abundant and preferably non-toxic materials. The kesterites, Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe), are considered a promising PV technology for meeting this goal because of similar electronic properties to the two leading thin-film chalcogenide technologies, CdTe and Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe), achieved while employing low-cost, readily-available constituents. This talk will discuss recent developments that have enabled the demonstration of the first CZTSSe solar cells with certified power conversion efficiencies of over 10%, using a glass/Mo/CZTSSe/CdS/i-ZnO/ITO structure and a simple liquid-based deposition approach. We also present a device characterization study that compares the CZTSSe devices with higher-performing CIGSSe analogs, elucidating some of the key performance bottlenecks in CZTSSe cells, including dominant buffer-absorber recombination, high series resistance and a relatively short minority carrier lifetime. These studies help to elucidate key areas for improvement for the CZTSSe cells in the effort to develop a high performance pervasive technology.