Recent Advances in Thin Film Photovoltaics

Foreword
Preface
Contents
Editors and Contributors
Introduction
	1 Advantages of Thin Film Technologies
Advancement in Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS)-Based Thin-Film Solar Cells
	1 Introduction
	2 Brief History
	3 Material Properties
		3.1 Crystal Structure of CIGS
		3.2 Structural Property
		3.3 Optical Property
		3.4 Electrical Property
		3.5 Phase Diagram
	4 Defect Physics of CIGS
	5 Cell Structure
	6 Absorber Preparation
		6.1 Multi-source (Co-evaporation)
		6.2 Sequential (Sputtering/Selenization)
		6.3 Other Vacuum Deposition Methods
		6.4 Non-vacuum Techniques
	7 Importance of Sodium
	8 Buffer Layer—Heterojunction Formation
	9 Window Layer
	10 Flexible CIGS Solar Cells
	11 CIGS-Based Tandem Solar Cells
	12 Theoretical Modelling and Simulation of CIGS
	References
Recent Advances in the Kesterite-Based Thin Film Solar Cell Technology: Role of Ge
	1 Introduction
	2 Genesis and State of the Art
		2.1 Voc Deficit and Substitution Strategies
		2.2 Cation Disorder
		2.3 Redox Activity of Sn in Kesterite
	3 Ge as Potential Substitute
		3.1 Doping
		3.2 Alloying
		3.3 CZGSe and CZGSSe
	4 Conclusion and Future Outlook
	Appendix
	References
CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Present Status and Future Developments
	1 Introduction
	2 Material Properties of CdTe
	3 The Old Configuration of CdTe Solar Cell
		3.1 Front Contact
		3.2 Buffer Layer
		3.3 CdTe
		3.4 Back Contact
		3.5 Increasing the Net Charge Density
	4 CdTe Activation Treatment
		4.1 CdCl2 Treatment
		4.2 Chlorine Containing Gases
		4.3 MgCl2 Treatment
		4.4 Recrystallization
		4.5 Intermixing
	5 Characterization
		5.1 Characterization by Electron-Based Techniques
		5.2 Characterization by Photon-Based Techniques
		5.3 Optical Characterization
		5.4 Emission (Luminescence)
		5.5 Characterization of Finished Solar Cell Devices
	6 The New CdTe Solar Cell Structure
		6.1 CdSexTe1-x Introduction for CdTe Band Grading
		6.2 MgZnO Introduction for High Transparency
	7 Alternative Configurations
		7.1 Substrate Configuration
	8 Performance Under Critical Conditions
		8.1 Low/Diffused Light Conditions
		8.2 High Temperature Conditions
	9 Flexible Solar Cells
		9.1 Ultra-Thin CdTe Absorbers
	10 Environmental Aspects
	11 Conclusions
	References
Advances in Perovskite Solar Cells: Prospects of Lead-Free Perovskite Materials
	1 Introduction
	2 Lead-Free Halide Perovskite-Based Solar Cells (SCs)
		2.1 Sn-Based Organic–inorganic Halide Perovskite for PSCs
		2.2 Ge-Based Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites for PSCs
		2.3 Bi and Sb-Based Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites for PSCs
		2.4 All-Inorganic Lead-Free Halide Perovskite for PSCs
		2.5 Key Challenges Lead-Free Halide Perovskite-Based PSCs
	3 Lead-Free Double Perovskite
		3.1 Synthesis Methods of Cs2AgBiBr6
		3.2 Cs2AgBiBr6 Thin-Film Fabrication
		3.3 PSCs Based on Cs2AgBiBr6 Double Perovskite
	4 Future Perspectives
	References
Dye Sensitized and Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cell
	1 Introduction
	2 Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
		2.1 Working Electrode
		2.2 Sensitizer Dye
		2.3 Electrolyte
		2.4 Counter-Electrode
	3 Quantum Dots
	4 Quantum Dot Solar Cell
	5 Conclusion
	References
Antimony Chalcogenides Based Thin-Film Solar Cell
	1 Introduction
	2 Material Properties
		2.1 Sb2S3 Crystal Structure
		2.2 Sb2S3 Electrical Properties
		2.3 Sb2S3 Optical Properties
		2.4 Sb2Se3 Crystal Structure
		2.5 Sb2Se3 Structural Properties
		2.6 Sb2Se3 Optical Properties
		2.7 Sb2Se3 Electrical Properties
		2.8 Different Deposition Techniques
		2.9 Antimony Chalcogenide Based Solar Cell with Different Buffer Layers
		2.10 Recent Developments
		2.11 Possible Origin of Less Efficiency
		2.12 Future Aspects of Antimony Chalcogenides-Based Solar Cell
	References
Oxides for Photovoltaic Applications
	1 Introduction
		1.1 Photovoltaics Solar Cells
		1.2 Metal Oxides
	2 CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells
		2.1 Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs)
		2.2 Buffer Layer
		2.3 Low-Resistive Back Contact
	3 CuInGaSe2 Thin-Film Solar Cells
		3.1 Window Layer
		3.2 Transparent Conducting Oxide (TCO)
		3.3 Buffer Layer
	References
Ultra-Thin Plasmonic Optoelectronic Devices
	1 Introduction
	2 Fundamentals
		2.1 Excitation of Plasmons
		2.2 Plasmon Evolution
		2.3 Plasmon–Semiconductor Interaction
		2.4 Plasmonic Hot Electron Generation and Applications
		2.5 Interband Absorption
		2.6 Other Mechanisms
	3 Applications
		3.1 Nano-Chemistry
		3.2 Generation of Alternative Fuels: (Water Splitting)
		3.3 Photovoltaics Applications
	4 Analytical Tools for Hot-Carrier Characterisation
		4.1 Transient Absorption Spectroscopy (TAS)
		4.2 X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structures (XANES) Spectroscopy
	5 Mechanisms of Plasmon-Induced Energy Transfer in Solar Cell
		5.1 Plasmon-Induced Resonance Energy Transfer (PIRET)
		5.2 Light Scattering and Trapping Mechanism
		5.3 Disordered Plasmonic Metasurfaces
	6 Ultra-Thin Optoelectronic Devices
		6.1 Photosensors
		6.2 Plasmon Up-Conversion
		6.3 Ultra-Thin Solar Cells
	7 Different Layers Associated with Ultra-thin Solar Cells
		7.1 Ultra-Thin CIGS
		7.2 Ultra-Thin Si
		7.3 Ultra-Thin CZTS
		7.4 Ultra-Thin GaAs
		7.5 Ultra-Thin CdTe
		7.6 Ultra-Thin a-Si:H or a-SiGe:H
		7.7 Ultra-Thin OPV, DSSC and Perovskite
	8 Summary
	References