The Energy Level Alignment at the Buffer/Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ Thin-Film Solar Cell Interface for CdS and GaO_x

Sputter-deposited GaOx (i.e., oxygen-deficient gallium oxide) films are evaluated as a potential replacement for the standard CdS buffer layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 (CIGSe) based thin-film photovoltaics. The energy level alignment at the GaOx/CIGSe and CdS/CIGSe interfaces are compared by means of direct and inverse photoemission. For the GaOx/CIGSe a (0.04 +/- 0.07) eV (i.e., a small spike-like) conduction band offset (CBO) and a (-3.21 +/- 0.19) eV (i.e., a large cliff-like) valence band offset (VBO) are found, which suggests a nearly ideal charge-selective contact. The derived GaOx band gap of (4.80 +/- 0.25) eV confirms its utility as a highly transparent buffer layer. However, the GaOx (with x derived to be 1.1 +/- 0.1) exhibits considerable (presumably) defect-related occupied states above the valence band maximum. It is proposed that these states may increase charge carrier recombination and decrease open circuit voltage in respective devices; also explaining why solar cells with standard CdS buffer outperform devices with GaOx buffer, despite less ideal electronic interface properties (CBO: (-0.18 +/- 0.07) eV, VBO: (-0.98 +/- 0.15) eV) and the smaller CdS band gap of (2.35 +/- 0.22) eV.