a study of the degradation mechanisms of Ultr-Thin CIGS Solar Cells subitted to a Damp Heat Environment

Abstract

Producing the green energy of tomorrow will require highly efficient as well as energy --, and cost eff ective solar cells in addition to having reasonable lifetimes To determine if CIGS can be made to submit to these constraints , we produced ultrathin (500nm ) single stage coevaporated CIGS solar cells . We doped these cells with varying amounts and t ypes of a lkali atoms a nd submitted them to accelerated lifetime testing Results showed definite effect of the a lkali concen tration on the degradation of the cells b ut showed limited mig ration. Inste ad, the seeping of water into the gra in bounda rie s was identified as the main culprit for perf ormance degradati on.