Solar cell degradation can occur through many pathways and at the different stages of the fabrication process, notably because of the water condensation. In the case of Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ (CIGS) solar cells, the impact of water ingress on Mo back contact can be substantial for not only the film itself but also the device performance and reliability. Microstructural modification, change in film morphology, loss in reflectance, and increased resistivity because of the moisture ingress were observed via X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and four-point probe measurements, respectively. Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements revealed drastic changes in the alkali (Na, K) profiles in both the CIGS and Mo layers, likely because of the modification of their diffusion coefficient through Mo. This, in turn, negatively impacts the solar cell efficiency by decreasing both fill factor and open-circuit voltage. Additional experiments, modifying the substrate and utilizing a NaF postdeposition treatment, highlight the mechanisms of degradation as being due to both a modification of the Mo/CIGS interface and the lack of alkali diffusion after water ingress.

The impact of moisture and heat treatment on the microstructural, chemical, and electrical properties of Cu(In, Ga)Se $_2$ films and their collective effect on the solar cell device performance was studied. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements show that water exposure causes surface modification and alters the alkali metal distribution, while no composition or structural effect was observed. Deep level transient and optical spectroscopies revealed that the trap densities (N $_T$ ) for both the E $_V$ + 0.65 eV and E $_V$ + 0.98 eV traps increase after water exposure, while the majority carrier concentration (N $_A$ ) decreases. Time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) and steady-state PL measurements indicated the presence of static, not dynamic, quenching. Reduction of open-circuit voltage (V $_OC$ ) and fill factor (FF) was observed for the devices but was not associated with a change of recombination mechanism, which remains in the absorber space charge region. A small increase in series resistance and shunt conductance accounts for most of the FF change, while the modification in both N $_A$ and N $_T$ yield most of the change in V $_OC$ . A gradient of majority carrier concentration, related to the alkali profile, also yields a small voltage-dependent current collection after moisture and heat treatment.

The impact of moisture ingress on the surface of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells was studied. While industry-scale modules are encapsulated in specialized polymers and glass, over time, the glass can break and the encapsulant can degrade. During such conditions, water can potentially degrade the interior layers and decrease performance. The first layer the water will come in contact with is the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer. To simulate the impact of this moisture ingress, complete devices were immersed in deionized water. To identify the potential sources of degradation, a common window layer for CIGS devices—a bilayer of intrinsic zinc oxide (i-ZnO) and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO)—was deposited. The thin films were then analyzed both pre and post water soaking. To determine the extent of ingress, dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was performed on completed devices to analyze impurity diffusion (predominantly sodium and potassium) in the devices. The results were compared to device measurements, and indicated a degradation of device efficiency (mostly fill factor, contrary to previous studies), potentially due to a modification of the alkali profile.

Preliminary studies of instabilities and degradation due to moisture ingress into the molybdenum (Mo) back contact and its impact on the performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se ₂ solar cells are presented. The samples along with reference devices were characterized to obtain an outline of the deteriorating effect. Overall, the resistivity and surface roughness of the Mo layer increased with exposure to humidity and has a significant impact on the device performance.

The effect of water ingress on the surface of the buffer layer of a Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell was studied. Such degradation can occur either during the fabrication process, if it involves a chemical bath as is often the case for CdS, or while the modules are in the field and encapsulants degrade. To simulate the impact of this moisture ingress, devices with a structure sodalime glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS were immersed in deionized water. The thin films were then analyzed both pre and post water soaking. Dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was performed on completed devices to analyze impurity diffusion (predominantly sodium and potassium) and to assess potential degradation mechanisms. The results were compared to device measurements, which indicate a degradation of all device parameters due to an increase in the total and peak trap densities, as shown by simulation. This is potentially due to a modification of the sodium profile in the bulk CIGS, with a decrease content after water soaking or because the oxygen profile increased in the bulk CIGS after water soaking.