Fabrication of CIGS nanoparticle-ink using ball milling technology for applied in CIGS thin films solar cell

A copper–indium–gallium–diselenide layer was formed from the binary-alloy nanoparticles of In2Se3, Ga2Se3, and CuSe. Copper–indium–gallium–diselenide thin films were fabricated using the precursor nanoparticle-ink based on non-vacuum technology. The ink was fabricated by a ball milling procedure and the size of agglomerated copper–indium–gallium–diselenide powder after milling was less than 100 nm. Crystallographic, morphological, stoichiometric, and photovoltaic properties of the films were characterized by sintering the precursor copper–indium–gallium–diselenide samples with different holding times in a non-vacuum environment without selenization. Analytical results indicate that the copper–indium–gallium–diselenide absorption layer prepared with a holding time of 7.5 min has a chalcopyrite structure and favorable compositions. The obtained compositions of the sample are Cu0.976In0.811Ga0.277Se1.935, and the ratios of Ga/(In + Ga) and Cu/(In + Ga) are 0.254 and 0.896, respectively. The photovoltaic properties of this sample are Eg of 1.185 eV, Voc of 0.643 V, Nds of 1.3 × 1015 cm− 3, and Ga of 0.277 mol, respectively.

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► CIGS nanoparticle-ink can be fabricated by using a ball milling technique.
► The size of CIGS powders after milling is less than 100 nm.
► Precursor film samples were sintered with various holding times.
► Precursor sample sintered at a holding time of 7.5 min has a chalcopyrite structure.