65
Modeling
of Copper-Indium-Gallium Disclenide for Advanced Thin-Film
Photovoltaic Devices--Helio
Volt Corporation, 1101 S. Capital of
Dr.
Billy J. Stanbery, Principal Investigator, stanbery@heliovolt.com
Dr.
Ronald P. Gale, Business Official, rgale@heliovolt.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG03-02ER83454
Amount:
$100,000
Copper-indium-gallium
selenide is an ideal absorber for photovoltaic devices, and is considered the
most promising material system for low-cost thin-film solar cells.
It is, however, a complex, heavily defected material used in
polycrystalline layers. Although
very high efficiency modules have been made from copper-indium-gallium selenide
in the laboratory, these efficiencies have been limited in production modules.
A
better understanding of the relationship between the material and the device
properties is needed, and this project will develop an associated-solution
defect model for use in understanding this relationship. In
Phase I, an existing copper-indium selenide model will be improved and modified
into a copper-indium-gallium selenide material model.
This model will be tested, run, and used to predict and explain published
solar cell material properties. The
materials model will be used as the basis for a Phase II device model that will
link material growth, material properties, and device properties in
copper-indium-gallium selenide solar cells.