This work presents the systematic studies of bulk hybrid heterojunction solar cells based on Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) nanocrystals (NCs) embedded in poly(3-hexylthiophene) matrix. The CIGS NCs of approximately 17 nm in diameter were homogeneously blended with P3HT layer to form an active layer of a photovoltaic device. The blend ratios of CIGS NCs to P3HT, solvent effects on thin film morphologies,...

The CIGS research effort at the University of Illinois represents a three-pronged approach to understanding and solving some of the most critical issues in CIGS device. These three prongs are: (1) development of a basic understanding of the issues limiting performance in CIGS devices, (2) advancing the performance of the devices through single crystal epitaxial layers for integration into high-...

Device modeling and simulation of a mechanically stacked CuGaSe2/Cu(In1-x,Gax)Se2 (CGS/CIGS) tandem solar cell have been carried out in this study. The physical model consists of a CIGS bottom cell with a double graded band-gap profile in the space charge region (SCR) and the backside of the absorber layer and a uniform band-gap CGS top cell. By varying the absorber layer thickness of the CGS t...

Recent progress in the field of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell technology is briefly reviewed. New wide-bandgap Inx(OOH,S)y and ZnSx(OH)yOz buffers for CIGS solar cells have been developed. Advances have been made in the film deposition by the growth process optimization that allows the control of film properties at the microand nanolevels. To improve the CIGS cell junction characteri...

A 3-D optical modelling was calibrated to calculate the light absorption and the total reflection of fabricated CIGS solar cells. Absorption losses at molybdenum (Mo) / CIGS interface were explained in terms of plasmonic waves. To quench these losses, we assumed the insertion of a lossless dielectric spacer between Mo and CIGS, whose optical properties were varied. We show that such a spacer wi...