Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2012, Physics

As Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) technology has proven itself to be a worthy solar cell technology, research efforts have redoubled to explore ways to enrich the already mature technology or create spin-offs of the technology with specific goals for manufacturing in mind. CIGS technology is now at an efficiency and production level that is competitive with other second generation solar cell devices and c-Si. Further research in CIGS allows for a toolbox of new ideas to try in the technology. This work aims at that goal by generating and presenting many ideas on how that may be possible. Primarily, this work contains information concerning the improvement of the manufacturing process using a hybrid sputter deposition chamber for scaling up and allowing for easy in situ monitoring using ellipsometry. It also explores the possibility of the addition of Ag to enhance and control device behavior and properties, and investigates the concept of a two-stage process with a co-sputtering deposition chamber. Monitoring of Ag in situ and in real time was explored to possibly improve the back contact of solar cells that use Ag as a back contact (not necessarily CIGS) and as a potential precursor for nanocrystals.time was explored to possibly improve the back contact of solar cells that use Ag as a back contact (not necessarily CIGS) and as a potential precursor for nanocrystals.

Committee: Sylvain X. Marsillac PhD (Advisor); Terry Bigioni PhD (Committee Member); Robert W. Collins PhD (Committee Member); Randy Ellingson PhD (Committee Member); John-David Smith PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Energy; Engineering; Physics; Solid State Physics