Chalcogenide Glass Thin Films for Nanodipole Junctionless Photovoltaics

Abstract

We examine the potential of Bi-Ge-Se chalcogenide glass films as materials for a new type of photovoltaic devices, referred to as junctionless nanodipole PV. Glasses of a chemical composition providing a significant optical absorption were synthesized in quartz ampoules from high-purity Bi, Ge, and Se elements by a conventional melt quenching technique. This material was then used to deposit thin films with different thicknesses on various substrates by thermal evaporation under high-vacuum conditions. The original bulk glasses and the films were characterized by electron microscopy with EDS, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and spectrophotometry. Open-circuit voltage (V oc ) readings under incandescent illumination were obtained from the as-deposited and annealed films. Results from this characterization work are presented and discussed. Although the efficiency of nanodipole PV material structures, based on this material remains of no practical interest, our initial results indicate a possible path for the implementation of the nanodipole PV concept.

Stability Investigation in the Optical Properties of Thermally Evaporated Ge5Se95-x Znx Thin Films

“…The Ge-Se-Zn glasses show a memory switching behavior. However, very little studies have been carried out on the Ge-Se-Zn glass system [8]. In fact there is scarcity of literature on the optical properties of the Ge-Se-Zn thin films.…”