Improving thin film solar cells with atomic layer deposited ZnO: Highly tunable buffer, intrinsic, and top contact layers in a single fabrication process

A variety of highly tunable ZnO films have been deposited by atomic layer deposition. The optical and electrical properties of the ZnO films are well controlled by either doping with Mg or utilizing in-situ oxygen or hydrogen plasma treatments during deposition. The wide range of physical properties of these ZnO films enables their use as buffer, intrinsic, and top contact layers in thin film solar cells. The single fabrication process maintains high quality interfaces between each layer in the solar cell, and the precise control of the ZnO films´ properties allows for true device optimization.