Thin Solid Films, Vol.669, 509-513, 2019
Ageing of kesterite solar cells 2: Impact on photocurrent generation
As yet results of ageing experiments of Kesterite solar cells have not been published. However, at least in crystalsol detailed investigations of monograin-based solar cells have been performed proving very different stabilities depending on the exact composition of the Kesterites. Completely stable solar cells even without any sealing have been demonstrated internally. However in this paper we report on ageing effects observed for internally called "highly unstable" Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells aged for 8.5 and 95.5 h at 105 degrees C in air, already also reported in part 1 of these investigations. During these times the initial efficiency of 5.4% decreased by 76% and another 88%, respectively. The photocurrent generation was investigated in detail by light beam induced current (LBIC) measurements of the front side and electron beam induced current (EBIC) measurements of cross sections of the CZTS/CdS/ZnO active junctions. Besides a pronounced decrease of the LBIC and the EBIC signal also a shift of the EBIC signal much further into the Kesterite material was observed, which can be explained by the in part 1 already found diffusion of copper from the surface of CZTS into the CdS buffer layer acting finally as a strong charge carrier recombination center. Thereby the EBIC signal first observed mainly close to the interface has vanished, only a small EBIC signal in a depth of around 400 nm still remains visible, a depth, from which only minority carriers can still reach this main recombination center in the interface.
Keywords:Copper zinc tin sulfide;Monograin;Photovoltaics;Degradation;Electron beam induced current;Light beam induced current;External quantum efficiency;Copper diffusion