Stability of semiconductor CIGSe-based thin film solar cells and prototype photovoltaic modules

Aim of project
This research project is located within the field of photovoltaics (PV) – a dynamically developing domain of science and the electronics industry. The participating partners are: the Faculty of Physics (FoP) and the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology (FoEIT). The main aim is to identify factors influencing the efficiency and stability of thin-film CIGSe prototype PV modules. Realization of this task will require a correlation of advanced studies of small-area CIGSe-based solar cells (e.g. determination of dominant recombination mechanisms, defect distributions and simulations of current – voltage characteristics) conducted at the Semiconductors Department of FoP with the results of indoor and outdoor tests of large-area PV modules, which will be carried out at the Centre for Photovoltaics FoEIT. The key issue, from the point of view of applications, will be to establish how relevant for industrial PV modules are the illumination-induced efficiency changes observed in the small-area cells. The experiences gained in the course of realization of this project will help to develop research on other thinfilm technologies (a-Si, CdTe) and to create an educational and research platform dealing with complex PV deployment in Poland in cooperation with leading European research institutes and industrial partners.

Expected results
Identification of factors influencing efficiency and stability of thin-film CIGSe solar cells and prototype PV modules;

Identification of factors responsible for discrepancies between the tests conducted on CIGSe cells and modules in STC and under continuous illumination;

Correlation of results obtained for small-area cells (laboratory scale) and large-area modules (industrial scale).