3-D Modeling of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) Solar Cell: Effect of Microstructure, Temperature, and Crack

Towfiq Tofail, Purdue University

Abstract

In this paper, Finite Element method (FEM) has been employed for the study of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) solar cell. First, a 3-D CIGS microstructure was modeled and temperature effects on the electrical performance were studied. Varying temperature from 10 to70°C electrical performance has been measured (Current density-Voltage) by using the model. Experimentally observed electrical performance shows a good match with the model predicting electrical performance which indicates that the model is sufficient to predict the electrical performance at different condition. Second, the effect of presence of grain boundary (GB) in electrical performance on CIGS solar cell was also studied. From two to six number of grain boundary had been implemented in the model and electrical performance was compared while GB thickness remains constant 20nm. This study shows that grain boundary of CIGS could improve the solar cell performance. The effect of GB thickness is also studied while number of GB remain fixed and the thickness varies from 20nm to 100nm. With the increase of GB thickness efficiency increase is observed by this study. Third, cracked structure of 3D solar cells was also studied. 20% to 80% crack along GB solar cell structures were studied. This study indicates that crack along GB decreases cell performance by altering short-circuit current density while crack is up to 40% and when crack is more than 40% it alters both short circuit current density and open-circuit voltage. In this work, CIGS is the investigated material; however, this method can be applied to any thin-film solar cell material

Degree

M.S.M.E.

Advisors

Kim, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Mechanical engineering

COinS