AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition
    Thin Film Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF-TuA

Paper TF-TuA11
Leveraging Small Molecules to Control Interfacial Stability of Transparent Conductive Oxides

Tuesday, November 8, 2016, 5:40 pm, Room 105A

Session: Thin Film Photovoltaics
Presenter: Ina Martin, Case Western Reserve University
Authors: I.T. Martin, Case Western Reserve University
R. Matthews, Case Western Reserve University
E.B. Pentzer, Case Western Reserve University
T.J. Peshek, Case Western Reserve University
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Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) degradation is a known failure mode in thin-film photovoltaic (PV) devices through mechanisms such as resistivity increase and delamination. Degradation studies encompassing accelerated aging of the individual TCO, material combinations (e.g. the TCO interacting with an encapsulant) and full devices are necessary to elucidate the complicated mechanistic pathways of degradation that occur in thin-film PV devices. We have previously demonstrated quenching of the damp-heat-induced degradation of Al:ZnO (AZO), used as a front contact in CIGS modules, by depositing a mere 1 nm of a silane modifier, 3-aminoproplytriethoxysilane (APTES). Here we present results on the effect of the application of thin interfacial modifiers on AZO degradation, for thin films and within full CIGS (Cu(In,Ga)Se2) thin film PV devices. Accelerated aging was performed under damp-heat (DH) and thermal-cycling protocols (from the IEC 61646 testing protocol for PV modules), ASTM G155 and outdoor testing. Modifiers include a monofunctional amine terminated silane (APDMES, 3-aminopropyldimethlyethoxysilane), and a trifunctional amine terminated silane (APTES, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane).