Solution Processed Inorganic Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices

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The Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), at Loughborough University have been awarded funding from the EPSRC to undertake a program of research to develop thin film solar cells using solutionprocessing techniques. Loughborough's role in the project, named ""Solution-Processed Inorganic Thin-Film Photovoltaic Devices (SolPV)" aims to develop copper indium gallium diselenide (or CIGS) thin film solar cells with power conversion efficiencies above 15% using scalable manufacturing techniques, reliant on amine-thiol solution chemistry.Some of the key strategies include:Optimisation of the absorber precursor formation to implement scalable manufacturing methods based on solution processing (such as spray coating, slot die, etc).Design thermal processing strategies to achieve controlled recrystallisation and compositional grading of the absorber.Interface engineering of the absorber/buffer interface to improve solar cell performance, including the ultimate removal of cadmium containing compounds.The student will work on the fabrication, characterisation and analysis of thin film CIGS solar cells, with an aim to improve the device performance. Using a variety of structural, composition, and opto-electronic characterisation techniques and analysis methods, the PhD student will aim to develop an understanding of the fundamental limiting processes seen in the devices, to ultimately improve power conversion efficiencies to above 15%.