Solar cells from chalcopyrite-type thin films analysed by electron backscatter diffraction

Solar energy conversion is part of a long term strategy to ensure a stable and adequate supply of electrical power in the future. Photovoltaics are the only method of converting sunlight directly into electrical energy. The efficiency of a photovoltaic system is measured as the ratio of electrical power produced to the energy of the incident solar radiation. It strongly depends on the quality of the semiconducting materials used for the fabrication of solar cells.

As light-absorbing materials in thin-film solar cells chalcopyrites, such as CuInSe2, CuGaSe2, and CuInS2, are of great interest. The crystal structure in the absorber layer has a significant influence on the performance, understanding the relation and being able to characterise the material using EBSD offers great value towards improving the performance of the solar cells.

By downloading this application note you will see:

• How grain size and texture information from Chalcopyrite thin films can be obtained using EBSD
• How phases can be identified and characterised in the SEM based on crystallographic information
• Example of analysis of beam sensitive material in the SEM

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