Polypyrrole electrodeposition on inorganic semiconductors CuInSe2 and CuInS2 for photovoltaic applications

• Published in: Macromolecular symposia. Vol. 212; no. 1; pp. 287 - 292
• Main Authors: Bereznev, Sergei, Konovalov, Igor, Kois, Julia, Mellikov, Enn, Öpik, Andres
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01-04-2004; WILEY‐VCH Verlag
• Subjects: APPLICATIONS; CIS; conducting polymers; COPPER INDIUM SELENIDE; COPPER INDIUM SULFIDE; Current density; DENSITY; DEPOSITION; ELECTRODEPOSITION; Indium tin oxide; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; photovoltaic structure; Polymerization; POLYMERS; Polypyrroles; SEMICONDUCTORS; Sodium; White light
• ISSN: 1022-1360; 1521-3900
• DOI: 10.1002/masy.200450832

Thin polypyrrole (PPy) layers with an average thickness of about 0.5 μm were deposited, using potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques, on CuInSe2 (CISe) structures prepared electrochemically on glass/ITO substrates and on CuInS2 (CIS) structures fabricated on Cu tape substrates. The polymer layer of p‐type is considered as an alternative to the traditional buffer layer and window layer in the conventional cell structure. The deposition proceeded from an aqueous solution containing sodium naphthalene‐2‐sulfonate as a dopant. In order to prepare stable PPy films of high quality with a good adherence to the surface of inorganic semiconductors CIS and CISe, the optimal concentrations of reagents, current densities and electrodepositing potentials were selected experimentally. Electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole to PPy on CIS surfaces is faster under white light irradiation and the polymerisation starts at lower potential than in the dark. Significant photovoltage and photocurrent of the fabricated CISe/PPy and CIS/PPy structures have been observed under standard white light illumination.