Light-induced metastability in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 caused by VSe-VCu complexes

2005/03/16 by Stephan Lany, S. Lany, Lany, S. +3
Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications #Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties #cond-mat.mtrl-sci

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0503411

submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett

arxiv created 2005/03/16 · openalex publication_date 2005/03/16 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Using first-principles total-energy calculations we identify the microscopic origin and the physical mechanism that leads to light-induced metastability and persistent photoconductivity in the photovoltaic material Cu(In,Ga)Se2. In the presence of photoexcited or electrically injected conduction band electrons, the complex (VSe-VCu) of a Se vacancy with a Cu vacancy is predicted to transform from a shallow electron trap into a deep hole trap upon the persistent capture of two electrons. This explains the experimental evidence that for every two holes persistently released to the valence band, one hole trap is generated.

Related

• Antisite traps and metastable defects in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar\n cells studied by screened-exchange hybrid density functional theory
• Metastable defects decrease the fill factor of solar cells
• Role of EV+0.98 eV trap in light soaking-induced short circuit current instability in CIGS solar cells
• Chemical States and Local Structure in Cu-Deficient CuInSe2 Thin Films: Insights into Engineering and Bandgap Narrowing
• On the origin of tail states and VOC losses in Cu(In,Ga)Se2