Research Activities

PV Supergen – PV Materials and Devices for the 21st Century

http://www.pv21.org/

This project has received funding from EPSRC for a further 4 years from April 2008. It is a collaborative project across UK academic research teams and industry to research new advances in thin film PV materials and devices.

The CSER team have two MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapour deposition) reactors dedicated to this project.One reactor is used for innovative transparent conducting oxide (TCO) research based on ZnO and CdO. Another reactor is capable of producing complete CdS/CdTe PV device structures and is being used for innovative research on improved window layers, ultra-thin CdTe absorbers and grain engineering.

Novel materials and ultra-thin absorbers

This is a new project, funded by EPSRC, that will look at the possible application of novel materials as ultra-thin absorber layers. The objective of this research is to address the longer term needs of very large scale PV module production that will require a sustainable materials supply and a substantial reduction in cost per watt.

A4B Collaborative Industrial Research Projects (CIRP)

These projects provide research expertise from CSER to work collaboratively with industry on applied research projects.The projects will typically involve a number of industrial partners, often linking different parts of a supply chain to seek new research led innovations. CSER has just been awarded funding for 2 year CIRP programme entitled "Developing New Screening Methods for High Throughput Production of Solar Cells", and has just completed a programme entitled “Developing and Enhancing the Photovoltaic Supply Chain in Wales – through the Application of Optical in-situ Monitoring”. The project involves several industrial partners working on different aspects of the PV supply chain and using different functional materials.

Purpose of the completed CIRP Project

The lack of in-situ monitoring of processes and products in the photovoltaic industry is a widely recognized problem, with faults in devices often only becoming apparent after the modules have completed manufacture. The project proposes to research and develop devices capable of monitoring defects and process variance as they arise, providing companies with useful devices capable of carrying out fault diagnostics in real time. A previous CIRP commenced research on solar cell crack detection and provided some excellent insight into how to improve this device and suggested areas for research into other aspects of PV monitoring. Businesses on board of this project include ORS Ltd., Qioptiq, Sharp, IQE, CST and Micro Materials.

Businesses interested in this project should contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Recent Publications

Book chapters

Irvine, S.J.C. Lamb, D. (2009) Chemical vapour deposition: precursors, processes and applications, ‘Chapter 11, Photo-assisted CVD’, RSC Publishing Eds: Anthony C Jones and Michael Hitchman.

Refereed papers

L. Danos, T. Parel, T. Markvart, V. Barrioz, W.S.M. Brooks, and S.J.C. Irvine (submitted) “Increased efficiency of CdTe solar cells via luminescence down-shifting with excitation energy transfer between dyes”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells.

S.J.C Irvine, D.A Lamb, V. Barrioz, A.J Clayton, W.S.M Brooks, S. Rugen-Hankey, G. Kartopu, “The role of TCOs in MOCVD CdTe/CdS PV Solar Cells”, Thin Solid Films (2011) in press.

D.A Lamb, S.J.C Irvine, “Physical properties of thin film cadmium oxide deposited by MOCVD”, (Submitted) Thin Solid Films

A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, W.S.M. Brooks, G. Zoppi, I. Forbes, K.D. Rogers, D.W. Lane, K. Hutchings, S. Roncallo, “MOCVD of ultra-thin PV solar cell devices using a pyrite based p-i-n structure”, Thin Solid Films (2011) in press.

A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, “Interpretation of absolute laser reflectance during optical monitoring of polycrystalline GaAs deposition on quartz using MOCVD”, Journal of Electronic Materials 40 (2011) 1437.

D.A. Lamb, S.J.C. Irvine. “Near infrared transparent conducting cadmium oxide deposited by MOCVD”, Thin Solid Films, 518 (2009) 1222-1224.

E.W. Jones, V. Barrioz, S.J.C. Irvine and D. Lamb, “Towards ultra-thin CdTe solar cells using MOCVD”, Thin Solid Films, 517(7) (2009) 2226-2230.

Y.Y. Proskuryakov, K. Durose, J. Major, M. Al Turkestani, V. Barrioz, S. Irvine and E. Jones, “Doping levels, trap density of states and the performance of co-doped CdTe(As,Cl) photovoltaic devices”, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 93(9) (2009) 1572-1581.
Y.Y. Proskuryakov, K. Durose, M.K. Al Turkestani, I. Mora-Sero, G. Garcia-Belmonte, F. Fabregat-Santiago, J. Bisquert, V. Barrioz, D. Lamb, S.J.C. Irvine, and E.W. Jones “Impedance Spectroscopy of Thin-Film CdTe/CdS Solar Cells Under Varied Illumination”, Journal of Applied Physics 106(4)  (2009) 044507 ; doi:10.1063/1.3204484 (9 pages)

Publications in conference proceedings

E.W. Jones, A.J. Clayton, V. Barrioz, S.J.C. Irvine, G. Kartopu, W.S.M. Brooks, “Incorporation of a CdZnS window layer into ultra-thin CdTe PV cells using MOCVD”, Proc. 7th PVSAT Conf., 6-8 April 2011, Edinburgh, 75-78.

S.D. Hodgson, V. Barrioz, W.S.M. Brooks, A.J. Clayton, G. Kartopu, S.J.C. Irvine, “Effects of luminescent down conversion using core/shell semiconductor quantum dots in poly(methyl, methacrylate) thin films on CdTe photovoltaic cells”, Proc. 7th PVSAT Conf., 6-8 April 2011, Edinburgh, 157-160.

V. Barrioz, A. Clayton, W.S.M. Brooks, X. Yang, S.J.C. Irvine, and S. Rugen-Hankey, (2010), “CdTe devices by AP-MOCVD: evolution from horizontal to inline reactors”, conference proceedings, 25th EU-PVSEC/WCPEC-5, Valencia.

L. Danos, N. Soleimani, F.T. Martins, T. Markvart, A. Clayton, W.S.M. Brooks, V. Barrioz, S.J.C. Irvine. “Increased efficiencies on CdTe solar cells via luminescence down-shifting with efficient excitation energy transfer between dyes”, Proc. 6th PVSAT Conf., 24-26 March 2010, Southampton, 67-70.

A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, G. Zoppi, I. Forbes, W.S.M. Brooks. “A feasibility study toward ultra-thin PV solar cell devices by MOCVD based on p-i-n structure incorporating pyrite”, Proc. 6th PVSAT Conf., 24-26 March 2010, Southampton, 21-24.

V. Barrioz, W.S.M. Brooks, S.J.C. Irvine, D.A. Lamb, A.J. Clayton, E.W. Jones, “The benefit of CdTe platform devices by MOCVD for systematic improvements in PV performance”, Proc. 6th PVSAT Conf., 24-26 March 2010, Southampton, 13-16.

D. Lamb, E.W. Jones, V. Barrioz, S.J.C. Irvine. (2009) “Ultra-thin cadmium telluride photovoltaics with a cadmium oxide TCO”, Proc. 5th PVSAT Conf., 1-3 April 2009, Wrexham, 135–137.

A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, “Stoichiometry of pyrite (FeS2) by MOCVD using an atmospheric horizontal quartz tube reactor”, Proc. 5th PVSAT Conf., 1-3 April 2009, Wrexham, 5-8.

M.Al Turkestani, K. Durose, B. Wakeling, D. Lane, S.J.C. Irvine, V. Barrioz, “A rapid screening method for investigating the effect of processing parameters on CdTe / CdS solar cell performance”, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 1165 (2009) M05-17 (referred conference paper).

V. Barrioz, E.W. Jones, D. Lamb, S.J.C. Irvine. “Suitability of atmospheric-pressure MOCVD CdTe solar cells for inline production scale”, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 1165 (2009) M07-03 (referred conference paper).

A.J. Clayton, S.J.C. Irvine, and V. Barrioz, “MOCVD of Pyrite (FeS2) using Iron Pentacarbonyl (IPC)with di-tert-butyl disulphide (DtBS2)”, European Workshop on MOVPE (EW-MOVPE XIII) 7-10 June 2009, Ulm.

Conference presentations

A.J. Clayton, Talk title “Incorporation of a CdZnS window layer into ultra-thin CdTe PV cells using MOCVD”, Proc. 7th PVSAT Conf. 7th April 2011, Edinburgh.

V. Barrioz, Talk title: “Thin Film PV Research – Activity in Wales”, Green Photonics Conference, Cardiff, 19th October 2010.

D. Lamb, Talk title: “Physical Properties of Thin Film Cadmium Oxide Deposited by MOCVD” Research Seminar at OpTIC Glyndwr, 13th October, 2010.

V. Barrioz, Poster title: “CdTe devices by AP-MOCVD: evolution from horizontal to inline reactors”, 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition / 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Valencia, 6th-10th September 2010.

G. Lautenbach, Talk title: “OpTIC Solar Wall – Facts, Myths & Potential” Research Seminar at OpTIC Glyndwr, 22nd July 2010.

A.J. Clayton, Talk title “MOCVD of ultra-thin PV devices using a CdTe-based structure with an FeSx intermediate absorber layer”, Young Scientist Symposium, 29th June 2010.

A.J. Clayton, Talk title: “Pyrite as an i-layer for thin film CdTe solar cell devices based on a p-i-n structure”, Research Seminar at OpTIC Glyndwr, 22nd June 2010.

A.J. Clayton, Talk title “A feasibility study towards obtaining ultra-thin PV solar cells by MOCVD on a p-i-n structure”, Proc. 6th PVSAT Conf. 25th March 2010, Southampton.

V. Barrioz, Talk title “The benefit of CdTe platform devices by MOCVD for systematic improvements in PV performance”, Proc. 6th PVSAT Conf. 24th March 2010, Southampton.

V. Barrioz, D.A. Lamb, E.W. Jones and S.J.C. Irvine, “ Suitability of Atmospheric-Pressure MOCVD CdTe Solar Cells for Inline Production Scale”, Invited Talk, MRS Spring meeting, Symposium M, 13-17 April 2009 (invited talk - referred conference paper).

V. Barrioz, “From materials Science to PV module technology”, 1st LCRI conference, Cardiff, 26th -27th November 2009.

A. J. Clayton, S. J. C. Irvine and V. Barrioz, “Stoichiometry of Pyrite (FeS2) by MOCVD using an atmospheric horizontal quartz tube reactor”, Proc. 5th PVSAT Conf., Wrexham, UK, June 2009.

D. Lamb, E.W. Jones, V. Barrioz and S.J.C. Irvine, “Ultra-thin Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaics with a Cadmium Oxide TCO”, Proceedings of the 5th PV SAT conference, 1-3 April 2009, Wrexham, UK, 135-137.