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Detection of trace impurities in Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells by laser ablation ICP-MS

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Abstract

CIGS solar cells (CIGS: CuInSe2, doped with gallium) on flexible glass fibre substrates were investigated to determine a possible migration of compounds from the substrate through the back contact layer into the absorber layer. We employed laser ablation ICP-MS to perform depth profile analysis as this technique combines ease of sample preparation with high sensitivity and moderate depth resolution. Careful optimization of the fluence and repetition rate of the laser system was necessary to ensure sufficient depth resolution in order to be able to relate the transient signals to the different layers. The results show that apart from sodium and small amounts of titanium no elements have migrated into the absorber layer. This was confirmed by micro-PIXE measurements on cross sections of the cell.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Industrieller Forschungen “Otto von Guericke” under Contract No. 143 ZN/2.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz University of Hannover, Institute for Inorganic Chemistry, Callinstr. 9, D-30167, Hannover, Germany

    Rainer Dargel & Carla Vogt

  2. Institute for Solar Energy Research ISFH, Am Ohrberg 1, D-31860, Emmerthal, Germany

    Frank Heinemeyer & Marc Köntges

  3. Institute of Physics, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Institute of Experimental Physics II, Linnéstr. 5, D-04102, Leipzig, Germany

    Jürgen Vogt

Authors
  1. Rainer Dargel
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  2. Frank Heinemeyer
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  3. Marc Köntges
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  4. Jürgen Vogt
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  5. Carla Vogt
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Correspondence to Carla Vogt.

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Dargel, R., Heinemeyer, F., Köntges, M. et al. Detection of trace impurities in Cu(In, Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells by laser ablation ICP-MS. Microchim Acta 165, 265–270 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-008-0131-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-008-0131-1

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