Effect of Ga/Cu Ratio on Polycrystalline CuGaSe2 Thin Film Solar Cell

Structural and electrical properties of polycrystalline CuGaSe2 thin films have been studied by changing the Ga/Cu ratio in the films. CuGaSe2 thin films with various Ga/Cu ratio were grown over Mo-coated soda-lime glass substrates. With the increase of Ga content in CuGaSe2, morphology of the films was found to deteriorate which is associated with the smaller grain size and the appearance of impurity phases presumably due to the phase transition from the chalcopyrite structure to the defect-related phase on the surface of the films. Properties of the Ga poor films were affected by the Cu rich secondary phases. Electrical properties of the films were strongly influenced by the structural properties and degraded with increasing the Ga/Cu ratio in the film. Device performances, fabricated with the corresponding CuGaSe2 films, were found to be correlated with the Ga/Cu ratio in the films and consistent with the observed structural and electrical properties.